Laptops confiscated at Montenegro border can we get them back?

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antoanetad78@reddit

How were these laptops "confiscated"? On what grounds?

Do you have any documents which you can dispute?

If yes - start disputing them as soon as the law allows it.

If not - your laptops were stolen.

The longer explanation:

No government representative can simply take away your property. They have to have legal grounds for doing so. The legal grounds usually manifest itself in the form of a document - and act, a protocol of confiscation, something.. It should have several mandatory attributes: date, reason ( what letter of which law was broken that requires the action of holding the items. Remember, they can't just "confiscate" them. The items should legally be "held").

3 laptops are NOT suspicious. Also, something being"suspicious" is NOT legal grounds for it being taken away. There are legal procedures that should be followed strictly, otherwise the items ( yes, even real contraband items) will eventually have to be released from holding and returned to their owners. .

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Big-Waltz5204@reddit

Damn that's fucked up. Why your friend had 3 laptops? Maybe customs thought it was suspicious. Hope they didn't just steal it.

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Realottoman74@reddit (OP)

They were just personal laptops, not for commercial use. We’re still trying to figure out what happened.

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Pomegranate2026@reddit

Traveling with three personal laptops is considered very suspicious pretty much everywhere.

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DepartmentFalse9838@reddit

I travel often with 3 laptops and 0 issues so far.

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Pomegranate2026@reddit

Nice! You'd probably do well as a drug smuggler if you ever desire a change of career.

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Higher_State5@reddit

Bullshit

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DocGerbill@reddit

I came back from the us with my work laptop, personal one and the new one I just purchased. No one batted an eye.

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ClaudiuT@reddit

What? Why?

When I go to Greece for holiday with my wife we have 3 laptops with us (2 personal and one work laptop).

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Pomegranate2026@reddit

2 people with 3 laptops: fine
1 person with 3 laptops: suspicious

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Mother-Astronaut8784@reddit

Only in the balkans

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Jellyfish15@reddit

I wonder what the customs will do with the 2 laptops

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ThEtZeTzEfLy@reddit

they will surely catalogue the one laptop they have confiscated and if op wants to get it back he'll have to file a hand-written request on form 51a_74 section B revised in 2003 included in a brown paper envelope that he can only buy from a specific post office. if he uses 51a_74 section b revised in 2002, 2004, 51A_74 section b, 51a_74 section a, 51b_74 sections 1 through K or any combination thereof, the request will be denied, the laptop forfeited, a ticket will be issued and a beating will be handed out. NEXT !

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gushi1-@reddit

Playing Solitaire it the off season they have time on their hands.

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CoaVB@reddit

Did you informed them about those laptops when you entered Montenegro or not ?

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Realottoman74@reddit (OP)

He had them before entering there

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CoaVB@reddit

I know that but did he/she reported to them when entering Montenegro border that have 3 personal laptops or not ?

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Realottoman74@reddit (OP)

İ dont know abaut that part sadly but i know he had them before entering there

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CoaVB@reddit

Their duty was to report officials on border that is having 3 personal laptops when entering

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jinawee@reddit

What's the proof that it's their duty? Can you point to the law?

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CoaVB@reddit

Proof or no proof , he/she don’t have laptops at the moment , so don’t be smart a’s please

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rujevit_@reddit

How do I know that I should report 2 laptops, 1 phone, and 1 ipad. I'm traveling everywhere with all of these. 1 personal laptop, 1 business for 24/7 on call duty, ipad my wife uses.

that is stupid rule, can't be excuse. That rule was popular 20 years ago, to prevent smuggling... nowadays it does not make sense

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GrayWolf9560@reddit

Are you an American citizen ?

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Realottoman74@reddit (OP)

Nah Turkish

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gushi1-@reddit

Maybe they mad about the 500 years of occupation?

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Austerlitz2310@reddit

Reminds me of the idiot customs officer in Belgrade trying to take my iPhone because "I have 2 phones". Not only were they both my personal things, one was an iPod :)

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ilijadwa@reddit

I mean can you really fight back against a customs officer?

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Austerlitz2310@reddit

Yes. You can argue your case and ask for a superior. His friend seems like they made no effort. Couldn't even tell OP what customs said.

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Poseidwn@reddit

I had a 15 min shouting case on BEG airport few years ago with customs over a used PS4 they wanted to take - scratched, used, in a plastic bag. I was like 'over my dead body will u take it' so yeah, they backed down eventually

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ilijadwa@reddit

That’s interesting, I didn’t know that. I hadn’t crossed a land border since I was 6 years old until last year crossing from Bosnia into croatia. They made me empty my stuff and I was so terrified bc I didn’t know that that kind of thing was routine at land borders. I thought they must have (false) intelligence I was smuggling drugs or some shit 😪 maybe OP just isn’t accustomed to crossing land borders and being stopped or something

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DocGerbill@reddit

Of course, they have a shift supervisor and you can call the police on them.

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Square_Acanthaceae41@reddit

Which year was that?

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Realottoman74@reddit (OP)

İ realy dont know he just told me that my 2 laptobs were taken from there and they give 15 days for petition to get it back

İdk thats what he told me

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Serdar_Janko@reddit

Always have 20€ per person ready to give with passport if needed

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Serdar_Janko@reddit

And say it is for coffee

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AirAstana202@reddit

I think the reason of taking the laptops are more important for them.

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Realottoman74@reddit (OP)

Sorry, do you mean the reason why they were taken is important for whether we can get them back?

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Square_Acanthaceae41@reddit

Why they where confiscated? What is the reason?

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Realottoman74@reddit (OP)

He doesnt know it as well

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Serdar_Janko@reddit

So he just let them have the laptops without being sure why? I don't think you will see that laptop. Probably they sold them or gifted to kids

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AfterSwordfish6342@reddit

Yes

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Lowrida88@reddit

Coincidence, my uncle gifted my sister a laptop and he works as a border guard

Small world

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GrayWolf9560@reddit

Why did you delete the comment above pussy?

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Altruistic-Life-2382@reddit

So many bs comments, and op didnt give enough info, did he bought laptops in Montenegro or it was his, is there an invoices if he bought it in Montenegro. There are laws of how much value (not just cash) you can get in and out of the country. I am from Serbia, living in Montenegro, never ever had any problem with borders and i am using those borders often. Which border crossing you had this problem?

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Realottoman74@reddit (OP)

More precisely, this friend I'm talking about told me that it happened at the Montenegro exit and that they bought Sarajevo on their laptops.

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Responsible-Ant-1494@reddit

Nope. Montenegro customs are 1990s Balkan style. They operate on the black-hole principle- the custom officer’s booth is the event horizon. If something disappears beyond that - it’s gone. And no - it’s not theft in their mind - they only simply charge you for crossing. All deep Balkan customs did this up until recently: Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria…it’s what they did.

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Loopbloc@reddit

Were they in sales packaging? I was asked to open bag at Macedonia border, which is weird in Europe. She put hands into my bag. Now I guess she was counting laptops.

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cevapi-rakija-repeat@reddit

Macedonia is the only border in the Balkans they actually made me open my bag, going through it and holding things up asking, “what’s this?” Erm, that’s packing cube with clothes in it. Didn’t know that was so advanced for Macedonia.

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Realottoman74@reddit (OP)

They were used personal laptops, not new or for sale. We’re trying to understand the situation.

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Unitedpossibles@reddit

Yea they want to protect their racket inside the country where they charge excessively. The country is a whole overpriced scam. Beautiful sunsets that blind the reality of people who go short term. Stay longer in this place and you will see the truth.

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LordTrololo@reddit

Wow, next thing they will be taking your extra pair of pants. What a bunch of morons, I would go to media to at least warn other people.

I often carry 2 laptops, 2 phones and a tablet but luckily I don have to go to that shithole.

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IdleMelikor@reddit

Did they give you any documentation with your name, passport number and what was seized? If not then they purely stole them, even if you submit a report there is no evidence of any such laptops

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lorenc2@reddit

What the fxk

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GrayWolf9560@reddit

The shittiest border in the Balkans is the Montenegro one with Albania. Besides that, if you are lucky to pass the roads are utter shite.

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Ujemegaz@reddit

The borders are same everywehere. Just bribe them, and spare your time.

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GrayWolf9560@reddit

I would rather cut my hand than give those Serbs money. I just don't give in to their demands until they let me pass. “Is something wrong, Chef?” “If you want to control, control” That's it. You don't want to let me pass?? Okay Idgaf I will go back.

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gushi1-@reddit

Mini-Serbs? Most were your own blood a couple generations ago.

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GrayWolf9560@reddit

I don’t care, if your name is Lekë GjokoVIÇ you are not Albanian to me anymore. What makes someone Albanian is the language and culture if you don't have either of those you might be something else but not Albanian.

I have Albanian friends from Montenegro and they all remove the Viç & iç suffixes from their names, those are my blood.

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Lowrida88@reddit

Serves yall right given you guys on average got lowest IQ in Europe

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gushi1-@reddit

Ok so how do you feel about Albanians that have Muslim or Arabs names?

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Martha_Fockers@reddit

I’ve commented on that myself plenty of times

If you honor skenderberg

But also honor your name as mujahdeen or Muhammad

Your one confused ass Albanian

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GrayWolf9560@reddit

The difference is that the Viç and Iç suffixes in the surnames were imposed by the Slavs to assimilate Albanians. Like Ottomans, they understood that what made an Albanian who they are was culture, language and tribal affiliations. By removing the tribal affiliation with these suffixes and language suppression it was easier to assimilate them.

While Arab names are religious names that don't have a connection to the convo. A Serb from Sandzak with the name “Ramiz” does not make him a lesser Serb than others

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gushi1-@reddit

So no difference at all, whether you have a Vic or a Muslim name it irrelevant if you have Albanian blood you’re Albanian. A lot Malsor in Sandazk they still Albanian. Your are incorrec.

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GrayWolf9560@reddit

Did you read tf I wrote above or not? It doesn't matter the blood when one purposefully deny his blood.

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gushi1-@reddit

Still there blood.

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GrayWolf9560@reddit

Milosevic was from the Albanianized Vasojevici tribe of Montenegro but that didn't stop him from butchering Albanians all over Yugoslavia

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gushi1-@reddit

Any how many Albanian sided with the Ottomans and butchered their own people? They were still Albanian Blood.

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Ujemegaz@reddit

The ones i encountered have been really helpful though, especially ones in border with Croatia and Serbia. The ones with the border with Albania maybe act wrong because our side is not that helpful neither. I almost ened up detained in our side once, because of a joke.

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GrayWolf9560@reddit

The Serbian police on the border with Croatia most of the time are very professional they don't care where you come from. I think North Serbs are more civilised than the Southern ones the Southern ones are the worst starting from ordinary people when they see Albanian plates and finishing at the border one. I just passed through that area once, and all the time I had “çelsin kryq te gomave” ready for any disturbance 😂

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Martha_Fockers@reddit

Serbs above the Danube are more Eurocentric aligned and don’t have much animosity against us like the ones spur of the Danube lol

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Ujemegaz@reddit

Frankly, i no longer feel like traveling around the balkans, even if all were professional. Too many border posts, and always creeped out the idea that i might have forgot a licence or id back when i was driving.

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phase3profits@reddit

I drove through there at like 3am. The scariest part was the super narrow roads with vertical drop offs on either side

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oKINGDANo@reddit

We had no issues going into Albania from Montenegro, but had a hard time going back into Montenegro from Albania.

Our car broke down and was towed coming back and the border guard almost didn’t let us back in because my registration was printed and laminated in a folder instead of stuck to the front windshield. Only when he saw my last name was common and known on his side of the border did he let us go.

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GrayWolf9560@reddit

Yes, that's what I am saying passing from Albania to Montenegro is like a GTA challenge😂. And it feels like they maybe don't want to let you pass just because they feel like it or want money

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oKINGDANo@reddit

I’ve heard this experience from Albanians crossing the border. They always have a hard time and seem to be shaken down for money.

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Martha_Fockers@reddit

Bro if your Albanian and cross any Balkan border they have you a hard time want money shake you down it’s pathetic.

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Substratas@reddit

The shittiest border in the Balkans is the Montenegro one with Albania.

I have heard a lot of horror stories too about how savage the Montenegrin border police are.

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GrayWolf9560@reddit

Even the Albanians who work for the Montenegro border police are worse than Slavs, those Albanians who happily accepted the suffixes “viç”and “iç” in their surnames

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Substratas@reddit

I don’t consider them Albanian.

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ThickCaterpillar9867@reddit

I never ever encountered any problems there

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GrayWolf9560@reddit

Personally, I have encountered it every time I have been there, even when there are ethnic Albanians as border police on the Montenegro side. Let's not forget the roads that make me think how they closed EU chapters with that infrastructure

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Martha_Fockers@reddit

You needed to slip him 50$

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buteljak@reddit

I remember when we weren't in EU yet, i lived next to slovenian border, so i travelled to slovenia a lot for shopping etc. Every time i entered and left Slovenia - the slovenian police asked me "do you have anything to report" i.e. any goods they should know about. In this case, they were suspicious of 1 person leaving with 3 laptops that weren't reported when entering, that obviously weren't bought in MN. not saying it makes sense to confiscate just like that and not knowing if you'll have it back.

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Apnanizor@reddit

Saw some shit when crossing few Balkan borders. Can’t be cautious enough with these people. Gypsies with uniforms. To be precise Hungary Serbia border was sketchy but the worst was the north macedonians, literal pieces of shit, asking straightforward to be gifted shit

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Realottoman74@reddit (OP)

Even it has my personal informations

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gushi1-@reddit

I know we have yelled at them while crossing they try to take 2 bottles of boozes I bought duty free. They gave up.

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Realottoman74@reddit (OP)

İ realy hope i can get it back i have projects on thouse laptobs for my architecture school

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gushi1-@reddit

Good luck ,