[nanna]

I had the linked image in mind when I wrote that, of a journalist whose laptop was shot by Israeli border police whilst she was being interrogated.

http://lilyasussman.com/2009/11/30/im-sorry-but-we-blew-up-y...

Actually the reference doesn't totally work in hindsight because she was never asked for her password, but it seems as though it was encrypted and hence they just destroyed her laptop instead of asking her for the pw. If it had biometrics they might have just forced her to open it. So actually, the example might work after all.

[LLWM]

If you are unwilling to allow border guards to inspect something you are attempting to bring into their country, then you should be prepared for them to tell you to leave it outside at best or punish you for attempted smuggling at worst. I am skeptical of the story you linked as it's entirely from the perspective of the smuggler, but I don't see any reason to believe anything wrong happened there.