Last year when I went hunting in Namibia the SAPS checked every rifle personally. I had to dismantle my 308 for them to see the serial number. The reason, my headspace had to be corrected and the serial number ended up at the bottom of the barrel, with the stock hiding it. Thank heavens I had my Leatherman with me.

You might just be the unlucky one who's stuff is checked properly. On the Namibian side they checked nothing, I did not even had to read the numbers for them.

Rather do it the correct way, it is not worth ending up in a foreign country and having problems.