We've been taking a TT across the US/Canada border for years. We have Nexus and are "pre-cleared" for higher security. We always use the Pacific Highway crossing in south Surrey, BC. because it's the closest one. Have been crossing the border for nearly 60 years in total.I towed our TT down to the border mid-day last Friday by myself as I've often done. We had a Thousand Trails CG a few miles to the south booked for the long weekend and DW was going down after work in her car later in the day. Done it many many times. Easy peasy.Well, Friday was definitely different. I was mere feet away from the Nexus booth when I got told to head over to the commercial truck lanes. It was still pretty quiet that time of day so no need to go through the commercial area. They were making all RVs go through the commercial area, Nexus or not. Very strange.RVs were moving at a crawl, 5+ minutes for each one. Turns out that everyone was getting x-rayed. They had a sniffer dog checking RVs and a CBP officer was checking the underside of each RV.Finally made it through - 2 hours later! That was painful. Good thing I didn't need to pee because they weren't letting anyone get out even to stretch your legs. Our dog needed to go pee though. They were clearly stalling on letting folks through. They had 5 or 6 officers processing each RV and were just standing there at times after finishing before letting you go. Obviously a stalling tactic for some reason.Odd thing is, they didn't spend much time inside the RVs. Not sure why they did this and haven never seen it before. We do get pulled over once or twice a year to secondary for an inside inspection of our TT but this was very different.I hate to say it, but what's next, a wall?? :R

yes, I'm sure CBP decided to give all RVers a hard time that day. they must've been bored. there obviously was a reason that CBP was not sharing with you. it is what it is.

lucky you, all those years and just breeze threw ,they were doing some thing?

A few years back, we entered Canada through Niagara Falls. We had a motorhome and a small pich-up in tow. Answered a few questions, showed ID, then was told to pull ahead as we would be met by border agents. Three met us, asked us to leave the bus and as one detained us, two went inside the bus. The chap with us was friendly and pleasant as you could hear the other two going through our drawers and cabinets. Afer about 15 minutes the two exited and we were told were free to go. Nobody inspected the outdoor baggage compartments nor looked inside the pickup. I asked if he was going to check the pick-up, "naw, you're good to go". Not sure what that was all about. Haven't been to Canada since.

Nothing like exercising your power for no reason.

They possibly had information about activity involving a RV and were checking everything?They were doing their job. Or, just screwing with people. :)

Boarder crossing insanity - CBP gone crazy... | Good Sam Community

Chum_lee
Explorer
May 21, 2019
It happens all the time, and has for years. The Border Patrol, U.S. Customs, DEA, Homeland Security, FBI, CIA, EPA, USDA, state and local law enforcement authorities all get BOLO's (Be On The Lookout) for _______________________________. (fill in the blank)

If you fit the description, you're getting stopped. It's that simple. They don't necessarily broadcast what's going on to anyone in order to prevent wikileaks. Bad news travels at the speed of light these days.

Chum lee
Grit_dog
Navigator
May 21, 2019
"They seem to have a "flavor of the week" policy at the border. Sometimes they're into fruit, next time it can be meat, or firewood, or dog vaccinations, pet food, etc. You never know. If you have Nexus, you cannot take clothing into the US for a spouse if not with you at the time and if they ever interrogate, I've just gotten into cross-dressing as a hobby. "

Lol, really? Not the x-dressing part, the spouses clothes part, haha. Real rule or flavor of the week rule?

One real rule is you can't bring booze as a gift over the border into Canada. Was politely told it was for personal consumption and to not say bringing it for a buddy for his birthday!
Z-Peller
Explorer
May 21, 2019
myredracer wrote:
Interestingly, when you go into Canada, I've never once seen an RV pulled over and searched.

I have been sent to secondary twice over the years returning home to Canada in a truck camper.
Z-Peller
Explorer
May 21, 2019
Old Biscuit wrote:
....NEWS Flash.......

Agricultural Agents seized a Motorhome RV filled with 200 Kilos of Fentanyl during a random roadway check point in California.
Motorhome had come thru Canada Border Station early...agents were perplexed why Canadian Border Agents hadn't found it.
Simple X-Ray would have shown the large stash
??????

NEWS flash......something amiss in second part of that story because vehicles don't go through Canadian customs when going to USA, and vehicles don't go through USA customs when going to Canada.
RGar974417
Explorer
May 21, 2019
I agree with the OP. They want to give law abiding citizens a hard time but allow hundreds of thousands of illegals on the southern border go without knowing anything about them.
wa8yxm
Explorer III
May 21, 2019
Sometimes. Once you are cleared you can POLITELY ask and they will tell you.

They may have gotten a tip that "An RV is going to cross today filled with contraband" and not enough to identify the specific RV... Just as an example.

or.. Well.. They have powers most police wish they had. INCLUDING The power to do warrantless searches.
rk911
Explorer
May 21, 2019
border crossings are different. there exists, i believe, no right to enter the US, Canada, Mexico, Lichtenstein or any other country. permission must be sought in the form of a brief interview and possibly a search or in some unfriendly countries a more rigorous process. US border guards do not need a warrant or probable cause to search your person, belongings or vehicle when attempting to entervthe country but i can't imagine any US or Canadian border officers just deciding to mess with people out of boredom. you may not like it and the reason for the search may not be revealed or evident but that's just the way it is. as an earlier poster said your options are few. put up with it or turn around and go back from whence you came.

clicky
BarabooBob
Explorer III
May 22, 2019
My wife and I experienced a 45 minute inspection of our class C when we crossed into Canada at Sumas, BC. When we were in line, the Customs officer looked out of his bubble and said something to another Customs officer. A minute later, an officer carrying a rifle took up a position behind a barrier while we pulled up to the window. They asked us is we EVER had any firearms or ammunition in the RV and when we said yes, they wanted to know where the firearms had been stored. They took our passports and had us pull into the inspection area. Three officers met us, and searched us before having us wait inside the building, facing the desk and being told to not turn around to look outside. After 45 minutes, I was told that my pocket knife and leatherman were on the dash of the RV and that we could leave. While in the RV, they tore the sheets and blankets off of the bed, emptied the cupboards onto the be, and went through all of the food in the frig. We ended up throwing the food away. I believe that we fit some profile that they were looking for and there was nothing we could do about it.
Getting back into the US at Roosville took us about 5 minutes combined at both Customs stops.
wilber1
Explorer
May 22, 2019
Z-Peller wrote:
Old Biscuit wrote:
....NEWS Flash.......

Agricultural Agents seized a Motorhome RV filled with 200 Kilos of Fentanyl during a random roadway check point in California.
Motorhome had come thru Canada Border Station early...agents were perplexed why Canadian Border Agents hadn't found it.
Simple X-Ray would have shown the large stash
??????

NEWS flash......something amiss in second part of that story because vehicles don't go through Canadian customs when going to USA, and vehicles don't go through USA customs when going to Canada.

Yup.
Chum_lee
Explorer
May 22, 2019
wa8yxm wrote:
Sometimes. Once you are cleared you can POLITELY ask and they will tell you.

or.. Well.. They have powers most police wish they had. INCLUDING The power to do warrantless searches.

Once they (U.S. Customs at Tecate, B.C./Tecate, CA crossing) tore my 4 door German sedan apart in secondary. They found nothing illegal. I asked them POLITELY, "Why me?" The inspector said, "It's just your lucky day. The computer selected you at random." If you cross the border enough times, eventually this will happen to you.

Google: "International Boundary Zones"

Most U.S. Border crossings are IBZ's. You don't have constitutional search and seizure rights within an IBZ. Law Enforcement can do whatever they want regarding searches/seizures that are considered unlawful elsewhere within the U.S.A., and, they do not have to meet the standards of probable cause that apply elsewhere within the U.S.A.

Chum lee