A Canadian trail runner on a months-long journey through India ran afoul of airport authorities in Goa after they discovered an illegal item in her bag: a mini GPS device, banned under Indian law by legislation that is nearly a century old .
Tina Lewis, who now lives in Colorado, had already visited several other Indian airports without incident when she caught the attention of security in Goa.
“I brought my Garmin inReach device as I do for many of my international trips for camping, potential mountain adventures, and to use when there is no cell reception for safety as a solo female traveler,” Lewis wrote on Instagram this week .
‘To check in with family/friends. I was detained by the Airport Security (CISF) in Goa and escorted to the Goan Police Post for investigation. I didn’t know a GPS device was illegal. It’s a law from 1933 (!!!).
According to the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933, possession of wireless telegraphy equipment without proper license is prohibited.”
The ban includes satellite technology, included in the Garmin inReach Mini device, which is described on the company’s site as a “go-to connection for maintaining off-the-grid contact.”
‘It’s our handheld satellite communicator for adventures where size and weight matter. Need help? Send interactive SOS alerts anytime, worldwide,” he continues.
“Wherever you are, two-way messaging helps you connect with those who matter… Get connectivity and peace of mind.”
Runner Tina Lewis was forced to spend thousands of dollars fighting her case in an Indian court after being arrested over her satellite GPS
Lewis brought her Garmin inReach Mini to ensure safety while running
The description is followed by a prominent message: ‘CAUTION: Some jurisdictions regulate or prohibit the use of satellite communications equipment.
It is the user’s responsibility to know and comply with all applicable laws in the jurisdictions where the device is intended to be used.’
Lewis wrote that after “hours of investigation,” she was released at midnight by a friend’s “lawyer connection.”
After “days in court,” her case was “finally resolved.”
She was just the latest in a series of tourists arrested under similar circumstances.
According to local reports, a Czech traveler was also arrested in Goa earlier this month with a Garmin device, as well as an American with a genuine satellite phone in Dehradun.
“This outdated law needs to be challenged in higher courts so that other travelers don’t experience what I and others have,” Lewis posted on Instagram, adding: “WARNING: Wearing a GPS device in India can cause you to be arrested!’
Lewis said she was baffled by the decades-old law that did not exist at most airports in India
It took six days for her passport to be returned, she told IRunFar, and she spent thousands of euros on court fines and lawyer fees – in addition to handing in her Garmin device.
She continued her journey through India, but posted updates with photos from other regions with accompanying words like “Trying to get back into my groove…”
“Since I got my passport back, I didn’t want to make a hasty decision and just fly home,” Lewis wrote. ‘I didn’t let this experience ruin my trip.
‘I took a few days to rest and reset at the beach.
“I’m not sure I’ll have the same feelings about the country as I did before, but I’m willing to at least leave with a better experience and some good stories.”