Departing the island on Thursday morning, and my Daughter gets pulled aside after the carry-on went through the scanner. The official has her bag, and says to her "open it" and she replies "why, what's wrong." He says "shell", she says, "yes, 1 Conch shell my husband bought at the market" he says "they can't be in your carry-on". She says "nobody told me, and I didn't see any sign or anything. It is my husband's only souvenir." He takes the shell, says "you should have checked it", turns and walks away with the shell. My son-in-law must have bargained with 10 different stands at both the Philipsburg and Marigot market and was so proud of the deal he struck and his shell. Lesson learned the hard way.