The green lane to confiscation of personal items

Omer Wagner
Omer Wagner
Advocate, Israel
Published 04 May 2025
The green lane to confiscation of personal items
Unsplash
Country update
Customs law
The Customs green lane at airports is not as straightforward as many travellers often assume. In this article, we examine the challenges encountered in Israel, where passengers may risk having their personal items - such as luxury watches or handbags - confiscated. It is important to understand the rules governing the choice between the green and red lanes, as well as the necessary forms to complete in order to obtain tax relief.

Related content

Customs law and international trade contracts

Customs law and international trade contracts

07 Oct 2025

This article summarises contributions from the 29th Authors' Meeting, which focused on the intersection of customs law and international trade contracts. The authors examine the impact of contractual terms, Incoterms®,…

Customs law
Topic spotlight
A wrong EORI number, and the direct customs representative is held liable for the import VAT

A wrong EORI number, and the direct customs representative is held liable for the import VAT

Michael Lux
Michael Lux
13 Aug 2026

Editorial note. A direct customs representative inserts a wrong EORI number which does not belong to his client (the importer) and ends up being considered as customs representative without empowerment,…

Duties & taxes
Customs law
Topic spotlight
UK customs and trade news: July 2026

UK customs and trade news: July 2026

Editorial Board
Editorial Board
02 Aug 2026

News in brief: UK's steel trade measure applicable from 1 July 2026; CBAM documents published following the CBAM secondary legislation being laid in parliament; anti-dumping duty on bicycles and bicycle…

Customs law
News update
Confiscated by mistake: what it might take for an owner to get their goods back

Confiscated by mistake: what it might take for an owner to get their goods back

Omer Wagner
Omer Wagner
21 Sep 2025

A new immigrant arrived in Israel and sent more than 1,000 holy books, which he had collected since his bar mitzvah (a Jewish coming-of-age ceremony for boys), in a separate…

Customs law
Country update
The ten-year anniversary of the Union Customs Code: success stories and lessons for the future

The ten-year anniversary of the Union Customs Code: success stories and lessons for the future

Juozas Šarūnas Avižienis
Juozas Šarūnas Avižienis
31 May 2026

Editorial note: The Union Customs Code celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, and its "successor" is expected to be published in the Official Journal of the European Union in the…

Customs law
Perspective
The concept of a customs debtor and the case-law in Lithuania

The concept of a customs debtor and the case-law in Lithuania

Gediminas Valantiejus
Gediminas Valantiejus
25 Mar 2021

In tax disputes with customs authorities, the question often arises as to whether a person in respect of whom a customs debt is calculated can be regarded as a customs…

Customs law
Case law