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- joe_b_Explorer IIOne thing I have found that helps is to keep your answers honest and simple. Don’t elaborate. Have only the driver do the talking unless a question is directed to a passenger. Have also found that cooked and frozen food items are much less of interest to the agents if Brian had cooked his bell pepper in with some ground meat and had it in his freezer, he probably could have enjoyed it that night for dinner. For some odd reason, once my information starts coming up on their computer screen, food is never mentioned. If the agent asks a question of you that you answer, yes or no, just sit quietly and let the agent break the silence . They are just doing their jobs and having a sense of humor, is not one of the job requirements for agents from either side of the border.
- AKsilvereagleExplorer II
drenjoey wrote:
I have to comment on my comment:
First......Lemons and limes don't grow in Canada. They come from the States. Why do they confiscate things from their own country?
Second.....We didn't even buy those lemons and limes in Canada. We brought them with us and the agent at the Canadian border didn't even ask about fruits or veggies !!!!!!
I am sure the US Dep't of Agriculture has the complete regs on why US Customs tend to enforce such rules that are enacted to answer your questions....
One such reg that would pertain to what was mentioned here is the proven fact that any type of agricultural product subject to prohibited entry - was indeed "imported" to the United States from another country.... It does not matter where that very agricultural product had originated from as one example would be certain invasive species can still invade certain types of veggies or fruits from any location, or else importing original US agricultural products would not be enforced.
Yes I had a similar situation that was just plain silly when in Sep 2015 at the Dalton Post US port of entry (Haines Highway border crossing), the agent confiscated my orange bell peppers that I had all diced up and stored in a ziploc bag....as the agent stated to me that bell peppers from Canada are not allowed !....The $4 loss itself I can live with, if they were whole uncut bell peppers, sure I can live with that too....
But c'mon man - the 10 minutes of all the hard work I did by washing them, de-seeding them and dicing them all up in a refrigerated stored clear see thru SEALED bag where you can clearly inspect for any potential bugs I thought was a bit ludicrous confiscating them.
For the record, no I was unaware about bell peppers from Canada were prohibited entry at that very moment.
Three hours later when I entered the IGA store in Haines, I restocked up on orange bell peppers - same PLU code sticker on them marked "3121 - Canada".
Believe me, I was going to call US Customs and ask why the store has over 100 pounds of bell peppers from Canada when I was specifically told that bell peppers from Canada are NOT allowed !, as I certainly want to witness for myself a federal raid take place to confiscate all the bell peppers and cite that store a big fine.
However the three sites that did have payphones before were ripped out and no longer there (as I remembered upon my only visit in Haines in June 1994) when I asked the locals where any payphones were located as two confirmed to me that they removed them about 5 years or so ago (in 2010).
To Date : Out of the 31 total Canada entry crossings and 29 USA (from Canada) re-entry customs clearing border crossings, and 2 Mexico and 2 USA re-entry from Mexico border crossings that I endured...the bell peppers in 2015 was the only item that was ever confiscated. - TUCQUALAExplorerTwo separate crossings into the US at the Osoyoos (WA) border crossing in the past years.
First time returning from Whitehorse with a US owned pickup on a US owned trailer, towed by a US owned pickup. Truck on trailer searched, and a $28.00 fee charged to return the truck into the US!! No reason given for the "Custom Fee", and all the agents involved were just short of rude and wouldn't answer questions without an attitude!!
Second time, returning from Icefields trip, had TT searched after many, many questions from 2 agents. Confiscated onions, lemons, (bought in US and crossed into CA only 2 wks before) and warned about the dog food being out of orig container (which was in dinette seat area!!). My wife is partially deaf, and I answered all questions to the best of my knowledge, but obviously didn't remember or even was aware of the items in frig!! No fines or fees, but after the search, I said "I guess I answered NO too many times"!!! Agent laughed and said yep you did!!
At both crossings, the agents outside were women (no sexism meant, just info) and the "gang" in the main building were guys!!
As to entering CA, we have never had any problems with Canadian customs. Smooth and usually swift, and into CA. But returning has always been a hassle!!! - drenjoeyExplorer
drenjoey wrote:
HadEnough wrote:
They confiscated my illegal tomatoes!! (Seriously)
Just came back yesterday (Aug. 11th)from PEI. They confiscated my lemon and lime that were already cut............Geezzzzzz!
I guess the agent had a Corona but no lime!
I have to comment on my comment:
First......Lemons and limes don't grow in Canada. They come from the States. Why do they confiscate things from their own country?
Second.....We didn't even buy those lemons and limes in Canada. We brought them with us and the agent at the Canadian border didn't even ask about fruits or veggies !!!!!! - CA_TravelerExplorer III
Craig95005 wrote:
Tomatoes once - I ate one, plus cut off green onion tops - we kept the rest. US regulation came in that morning.
Have they confiscated or assessed duties on stuff you've brought back?
Several times US checked the refer.
Leaving Victoria once we watched from the ferry as many agents carried armloads of liquor from a RV. I imagine that was a unhappy camper.
We still talk about one Victoria entry - I was waved through in the MH, DW in the car was questioned for 30 minutes, no destination, no reservations, no luggage over and over and over. Always the same response - I'm with that MH you just let through. We later decided he must have been a trainee...
Leaving Skagway we had a CBP stand in the door entry so that she could see both of us while asking her questions. At the same time there was a train load of cruisers from the ships. They were in Canada and not allowed off the train - they just went back to the US, likely no customs.
ie Never had any problems crossing in either direction. - DownTheAvenueExplorer
sgip2000 wrote:
If you are a US citizen, you don't have to answer any questions or consent to any searches. Sure, they'll detain you, but eventually they have to let you go. Don't unlock your phones for them either.
This statement is very inaccurate if followed literally, will get someone in a lot of trouble. - lakeside013104Explorer
DrewE wrote:
NMDriver2 wrote:
obgraham wrote:
sgip2000 wrote:
Good luck with that approach. How many baloney sandwiches in a row can you eat?
If you are a US citizen, you don't have to answer any questions or consent to any searches. Sure, they'll detain you, but eventually they have to let you go. Don't unlock your phones for them either.
Failing to stand up for your rights is how you loose them.
You cannot be legally detained for more than 20 minutes without cause if you are a US Citizen. Failure to answer their questions is not a legal cause. You do not loose your rights being near the border. You have the right to remain silent and are protected from unreasonable search. The Border Patrol would like you to believe they can strip search you without cause but they cannot. They will try to intimidate you if you let them. Know your rights. Read the ACLU web site on this subject.link
Your link specifically says that these standards do not apply when actually crossing the border at a customs and immigration post. They (customs and immigrations officers) do have a right to search you and your belongings, and I think detain you more or less indefinitely if you don't cooperate.
I've never had any real trouble going either way across the Canadian border. I have had my vehicle searched (fairly quickly) and have once or twice had to hand over the forbidden vegetable of the week. Being forthright and courteous goes a long way towards a smooth crossing. Being belligerent and demanding all the rights you have (and maybe actually don't have) tends to have the opposite effect, I would imagine.
DrewE, your information is accurate and of good counsel.
I remember just such a belligerent and un-cooperative individual who attempted a speedy re-entry into the USA from Canada. Unlike 99.9% of the travelers who answer standard questions without an 'attitude' and continue on their journey within a reasonable time, the subject I remember brought all kinds of unnecessary attention to himself by demanding' his rights' and demanding to be 'released' without giving answers to standard questions.
By bringing 'attention' to himself, he generated a more intrusive search of his person and his belongings. That more intrusive search located a hidden magnetic box containing white pills.
Unknown to him, there had been several incidents of travelers stopping at the duty free on the Canadian side of the border, and while shopping inside 'someone' attached a magnetic box to their rear bumper containing methamphetamine pills. This activity was happening and allowed unsuspecting travelers to take the risk of crossing the border with illegal narcotics, and later being relieved of those narcotics at their first stop once in the USA.
Because the belligerent individual would NOT answer standard questions like a 'reasonable' person would have done, it was ultimately decided by a CPB supervisor that this individual was attempting to hide something. He was arrested and taken to jail, his vehicle and belongings were seized, and he eventually was found guilty in a federal court of crossing the border with a controlled substance. This was a felony conviction.
In hindsight, had this person co-operated with authorities and answered standard questions without the 'attitude' filled with belligerence, he would most likely have not generated the intrusive search at the border and caused himself life changing difficulty.
It was this person's choice to act the way he did at the border. It was, by far, not the normal reaction from traveling public. Continuing with this type of non-cooperative attitude at the border is just asking for problems.
Lakeside - 4runnerguyExplorerCame back through a quiet checkpoint south of Creston, BC last year. No one in line when we got there. We had everything we had purchased in a bag in front with us, along with the receipts. We had all the fruits and veggies in a basket which we showed to the border agent and he pulled out what wasn't supposed to cross the border. Maybe took us three or four minutes. Just tried to make their job as easy as possible.
- pyoung47Explorer
sgip2000 wrote:
If you are a US citizen, you don't have to answer any questions or consent to any searches. Sure, they'll detain you, but eventually they have to let you go. Don't unlock your phones for them either.
Or just sit there until they break your window glass and drag you from the vehicle. Great fun! - BarabooBobExplorer IIIWe crossed from Point Edward into Michigan in June and only talked to the customs agent for about 1 minute. He was very professional and courteous.
3 years ago we crossed Canada into Montana near Roosville. The agent apologized when he informed us that he had to confiscate our Canadian vegetables. I asked about the whiskey that I bought in Canada and he said that if I stuck around for a couple of hours he would help me sample it. I declined because it was 8:00am and a little to early to have a few.
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