"These instruments are priceless to me. I make them with my own hands and I can’t make a living without them."
Boujemaa Razgui, a professional performer on traditional flutes, lost 13 precious flutes on 12/22/2013 when an uninformed and aggressive US Customs agent incorrectly decided that they were "agricultural products." The appropriate action would have been to allow him to explain the contents of his luggage.
The greater insult is that a US Customs representative has now issued a public statement defending the destruction of these flutes.
We request that the White House issue a formal apology and compensation to Mr Razgui for the destruction of his flutes. In addition, a new set of US Customs guidelines protecting all musicians who travel to and from the US are urgently needed.