US checking foks outbound from USA

We spent four days in Moses Lake, WA, at a Winnebago rally--as an aside, had a meet-up with Gary and Nancy Brinck (aka RVRoamer) on Sunday night after the rally was over. 

Today we headed for the Canada / USA border at Osoyoos / Oroville where the line up was several vehicles (rigs and autos) long, on US soil, ahead of the Canadian customs booths.  We, like those ahead of us, and those behind, were stopped and questioned by US customs officials; and for those driving rigs, a customs official came aboard (after asking courteously if they could do so ) while another customs offical engaged the driver in Q&A through the driver's window.  Do you own the motorhome? Where are you going?  Do you have more than 10K in funds aboard--I'm usually careful to answer politely and briefly but in this case I couldn't stop myself from guffawing and saying "how I wish I had that much" and then immediately got serious and said "no, ma'am." 

While the Q&A was proceeding the other agent, with revolver holstered, was aboard looking in the bedroom, on his hands and knees to peer under the bed's overhang, looking in the bathroom, the fridge, but not the clothes closet.  My wife and I each have our own notebook computer and they travel resting on the bed.  The man aboard asked, I see you have two notebooks; why is that?  I answered, his and hers notebooks.  Do you have any pornography on either computer?  I simply said, no sir, which, by the way, is the truth.

So, I asked Ma'am, who was still beside my window, but not saying anything, what's going on, we've never experienced this before in all our years of border crossing?  We have the authority to do this, said she, and I said, I'm not challenging your authority, and left it all at that.

All very strange.  Anyone experience this at a Canada / US border crossing in an RV?

Ciao,

Doug

PS When we got to the Canadian customs officer, he asked: Where do you live? Gone how long? How much are you bring back (reminds me of a JJ Cale song)?  Got any booze? -- not in exactly those words, but you get the drift.  Wasn't even interested in looking at our passports.

Doug:

The US Border gestapo have gone from keeping America's borders safe to keeping Canada's safe for her.

Don't you feel safer??

This is the first I've heard of US Customs inspectors inspecting a vehicle leaving the US.

I think that's the same border crossing where they took our beef pot pies last year, but left 2 unlabeled steaks in the freezer  ???  We were entering the US, however, not leaving.

This is the first I've heard of US Customs inspectors inspecting a vehicle leaving the US.

The female officer at my driver's-side window told me that they have the authority to do this, and that they do exercise that authority from time to time at various border crossings. 

And leaving the US through this crossing last year, our Canadian customs exercised the strict wine importation limit on us--two bottles per person and we had a total of six bottles.

Jeff: I don't know that I feel any more or less secure :-\.  But a whiff of paranoia suggests that this may be co-related with what I judge to be a major assault in recent times on civil liberties of US citizens in the US--even though in this case the event involved Canadian citizens.

Ciao,

Doug
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The US Border gestapo

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Jeff 
I have sat here for several minutes trying to decide how to respond to this quote,  and I think just looking at the quote is answer enough.

The U.S. has had the silly $10K restriction for many years, presumably to prevent money laundering. If you transfer/wire money from an account in the U.S. to an account in another country, the bank is required to file a report with the Feds. No filing required for amounts of $9,999.99. I can only guess what the bad guys do.

Some years ago a colleague was returning to the U.S. from Germany and, on arrival at SFO, was asked if he was carrying $10K or more in cash. When he said that he had a little over $10K in cash he was bringing for a Germany-based emplo

Doug smiled at the right person &/or didn't look like a money launderer.

OTOH 20+ years ago visitors to Taiwan were required to declare every cent on their person (yes, including loose change) going in and out of the country. Haven't been there in a few years, so I don't know if they changed it.

Ned said:

This is the first I've heard of US Customs inspectors inspecting a vehicle leaving the US.

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If there is an Amber Alert in the area, they should be checking outbound traffic.

Phil

Phil said:

If there is an Amber Alert in the area, they should be checking outbound traffic.

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I suppose that could have been the case.

Hi Guys

In between our RV leaving Brunswick and arriving in the UK, we took four weeks of cruises.

During 2006, our passports have beem checked/scanned, we've been fingerprinted and our eyes scanned many many times - all of which we can appreciate and understand.

We booked all our cruises, with the same cruise line, well in advance (9 months for the main one), so they obviously have had time to double/triple check who we are - no problems with that either.

Imagine our pleasure when we check-in at the cruise terminal and, being a non-US citizen, we are AGAIN forced to do the whole routine to LEAVE the Country. Presumably all the other non-US passengers would also have been checked at their port of entry too, making this excercise a little OTT.

Then, we have Immigration come aboard (12 or so Officers) toward the end of the cruise and we wait patiently for 3hrs whilst they do it all again to get back into the US.

The Officer asked me what was the purpose of my visit - to which I couldnt help reply "Im on a cruise!".

He informed me that our I-94 receipts should have been take from us on our last Immigration inspection and we should get a new one now - but he said he'd ignore it this time (couldn't be bothered).

As soon as we got off this cruise, we were due on the next ship, docked next to us.

Of course, we had to do the routine all over again to leave the US again.

We had exactly the same conversation with the next Immigration Officer who claimed the I-94 should have been replaced by a new one - but he too decided we could keep it anyway. There were around a dozen officers to deal with 3000+ people this time too.

Third and final ship and we do the routine again - but this time we are leaving the US on our way to the UK.

Imagine our surprise when it is announced that ONE Immigration Official from the UK was being flown out to the ship to see all 3000 passengers - it took 2 sessions of 2hrs to complete.

I don't have any issues with your Immigration Dept doing their checks - but I think you are in danger of not seeing the wood thru the trees.

That one UK official probably got more worthwhile information in one afternoon than all those US checks together.

Paul

PS I still want to come back and visit though. LOL

20+ years ago visitors to Taiwan were required to declare every cent on their person (yes, including loose change) going in and out of the country.

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Yes, we encountered the same thing in several other countries with very strict currency controls.  Zimbabwe and South Africa come to mind.  In Zimbabwe, they counted our loose change which we thought quite amazing.

I don't believe either of us has ever been checked going OUT of the U.S., but certainly have been on coming back IN.  One time I was returning alone from Europe wearing a fur coat (it was a very cold winter) and nicely dressed.  On enquiring about which countries I had visited, they were very interested in the fact that I had been in Antwerp.  I was taken into a side room where they searched my entire coat, including the seams and hem, as well as every scrap of paper in my wallet and purse.  On discussing it with an FBI relative, he said I probably fit the profile of some particular group of people - in this case, perhaps single women who might be smuggling loose diamonds from Antwerp.  He thought they probably were looking for diamond receipts in my purse.  I've always wondered if smugglers keep receipts. 

ArdraF

Paul,

Take a look at the non-EU line coming out of Heathrow if you want to see OTT inspections.

Ardra,

Remind me to tell you my innocent (aka naiive) Taiwan smuggler story around the campfire sometime. Can't tell it here - have to plead the 5th. My kids had a great time hearing the story and realizing they almost had a Dad who was a guest of the ROC.

Too bad they are not as efficient  on checking incoming traffic along the Southern boarder.

The southern border is wide open. They couldn't hire enough agents to prevent the leaks.