dreamer wrote:
We crossed into Canada on Sunday. We were at the International Peace Garden crossing. After pulling up to the booth and showing our passports we answered a few questions about the amount of booze we had, if we had any fire arms with us (no) we were told to pull forward and stop. An agent entered the motor home and quizzed us about fire arms mainly. How many we usually traveled with, where we carried them, what caliber were they. Then he and another agent searched inside and outside the motorhome and towed vehicle for around an hour while we were told to wait outside. When they were finished (found nothing) the one agent thanked us for cooperating and we were on our way. I don't think we brought this on ourselves. I believe we were chosen at random. FYI.
We tried to enter the US at the piece arch on I-5, towing our new aircraft on a trailer, and was told to pull into the inspection area and go inside, the guard placed a orange sticker on the windshield. so we did. after we were inside the customs agents made us wait 35 minutes before any one would talk to us about what was going to happen, the took our pass ports and paper work on the aircraft and went into the office. we waited another 30 minutes prior to them coming back to tell us the we could not enter at this crossing. we were returned to Canada and told to cross at the Linden commercial crossing because we were importing material.
Arriving the Linden station we sat in the booth for 35 minutes waiting a "wants and warrants check", then told to park at the loading dock and go inside. we did. it took the customs agents 4.5 hours to determine which form to use, for private goods that had no duty due. plus how to do a stolen aircraft check. We watched 6 customs agents set at their computer stations playing solitaire for 4.5 hours waiting to get our relieve form and our passports back.
OBTW there is no method of searching for a stolen aircraft. Plus I have the US registration for our aircraft.
I have since registered a complaint at the US customs web page for all the good it will do.
2000 Newmar mountain aire 4081 DP, ISC/350 Allison 6 speed, Wrangler JL toad.