Be Careful with U.S. Customs -- A Cautionary Tale

[cyan]

Originally Posted by TrentePieds

I cannot imagine that there is any other nation on earth that could have both the desire and the sheer ability to transgress against Canadian sovereignty. But is it not difficult to imagine that the US might augment her economic sanctions (though we mustn't call them that) historically applied to Canada with military power. Back in 2016 during Trump's candidacy I held, with rue, that his election would be a boon to the world. His election, I thought, would show those who might be ignorant of it what America is really “made of”, and why we have feared her these seventy years since she became a “superpower”. I feel vindicated.



Please don't take my comments as an expression of “anti-Americanism” or as an expression of hate for America. They are, on the contrary, an expression of my hope that America may for her own sake come to grips with those aspects of her cultural Gestalt that make her such a trial, and even a danger, to her own people and to others throughout the world.



TP

No offense, Trente, but what did this weird little (funny?) rant have to do with the topic of US Customs taking stuff from innocent people?

[john61ct]

Not much of a stretch.

Overbearing militaristic LEO overreach culture domestically is hand in glove with the same aspects of our foreign policy.

[TrentePieds]

Cyan:

I think John just said it for me in #287 :-).

I know it must sound weird (funny) to an American patriot, but a lot of the world really IS afraid of the US, mainly because of incidents such as the one Dockhead put before us. We see these sorts of things as symptomatic of so much more, and as portents of things that are so much more serious when they are perpetrated by a nation possessing 'the finest fighting force the world has ever seen" led by a Commander-in-Chief that appears, from our perspective, to be ethically deficient.

As it happens, while I was on my way yesterday (06 June) to do my bit in commemoration of the momentous events of that day in 1945, Auntie CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) aired a documentary dealing with the complicity of the RCN in violations of The Rights of Man (as we see it) committed by the USCG in its "Operation Caribe" waging "war" on drugs. Indications are that there will be a stink in the House of Commons about it precisely because we - we Canadian "men in the street" - consider that sort of thing a misuse of our navy.

All this is of a piece with what I've said about being compelled - for economic reasons - to respond "How high, Sir" when Washington says "Jump". Let us never forget that WE - we Canadians - possess an abundance of natural resources that America (read "the ascendant oligopoly") would dearly love to have. And let us not forget that during this week just gone, our incumbent federal government handed over 4.5 BILLION dollars to a corporation native to Texas, a corporation that is a prominent member of that ascendant oligopoly, because we didn't have any other choice lest we trigger that of which we are all afraid! Canada is, for better or for worse, part of the "American Co-Prosperity Sphere"!

This is not a quote from Trump nor even from Weinstein, though I think it might as well be: "If rape is inevitable, just lie back and enjoy it"

As ever :-)

TP

[cyan]

Originally Posted by TrentePieds

Cyan:

I think John just said it for me in #287 :-).

I know it must sound weird (funny) to an American patriot, but a lot of the world really IS afraid of the US, mainly because of incidents such as the one Dockhead put before us. We see these sorts of things as symptomatic of so much more, and as portents of things that are so much more serious when they are perpetrated by a nation possessing 'the finest fighting force the world has ever seen" led by a Commander-in-Chief that appears, from our perspective, to be ethically deficient.

As it happens, while I was on my way yesterday (06 June) to do my bit in commemoration of the momentous events of that day in 1945, Auntie CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) aired a documentary dealing with the complicity of the RCN in violations of The Rights of Man (as we see it) committed by the USCG in its "Operation Caribe" waging "war" on drugs. Indications are that there will be a stink in the House of Commons about it precisely because we - we Canadian "men in the street" - consider that sort of thing a misuse of our navy.

All this is of a piece with what I've said about being compelled - for economic reasons - to respond "How high, Sir" when Washington says "Jump". Let us never forget that WE - we Canadians - possess an abundance of natural resources that America (read "the ascendant oligopoly") would dearly love to have. And let us not forget that during this week just gone, our incumbent federal government handed over 4.5 BILLION dollars to a corporation native to Texas, a corporation that is a prominent member of that ascendant oligopoly, because we didn't have any other choice lest we trigger that of which we are all afraid! Canada is, for better or for worse, part of the "American Co-Prosperity Sphere"!

This is not a quote from Trump nor even from Weinstein, though I think it might as well be: "If rape is inevitable, just lie back and enjoy it"

As ever :-)

TP

Yes, of course I have heard about this US plot to invade the Great White North and steal all the maple syrup found there. We discussed it thoroughly at the last Flat Earth Society meeting.

[TrentePieds]

C'mon, Cyan - you know jolly well that politics is not about reality. It's about perception :-0)!

Cheers

TP

[markpierce]

As a US citizen/resident, all my many international travels on common carriers (buses, planes, and ships), custom forms were distributed to passengers to complete while in transit to be turned over upon arrival to the country, and not before travel began. Customs screening took place at the customs offices at international ports, borders, and airports upon entry; not departure.

[john61ct]

Originally Posted by markpierce

As a US citizen/resident, all my many international travels on common carriers (buses, planes, and ships), custom forms were distributed to passengers to complete while in transit to be turned over upon arrival to the country, and not before travel began. Customs screening took place at the customs offices at international ports, borders, and airports upon entry; not departure.

And, what?

That is exactly why it can be a bit difficult for an informed traveller to jump through the required hoops in order to make sure they are in compliance when departing the US.

But again, this specific legal issue of declaring your outbound cash has nothing to do with either the OP incident, nor with the overall larger-picture point of the thread.

[cyan]

Originally Posted by TrentePieds

C'mon, Cyan - you know jolly well that politics is not about reality. It's about perception :-0)!

Cheers

TP

Okay, fair enough. Its just that this here American loves him some Canada, so the thought of a US military threat makes me giggle a bit- you know like the thought of Sweden invading Norway or sumpin. BTW, unlike my Canadian friends, I think most of my neighbors here in California think that the War of 1812 was just about Napoleon and that cool overture with the cannon booms. ("Detroit? why would anyone want to take Detroit??")

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by markpierce

As a US citizen/resident, all my many international travels on common carriers (buses, planes, and ships), custom forms were distributed to passengers to complete while in transit to be turned over upon arrival to the country, and not before travel began. Customs screening took place at the customs offices at international ports, borders, and airports upon entry; not departure.

That is a catch 22. You didn’t know about the requirement to fill out a form before you left if you were carrying cash, how could you know?
Yet ignorance of the law is no excuse.

Something came to me on one of the times when I was returning to the US, I couldn’t prove the camera, watch, wife’s meager jewelry etc wasn’t purchased overseas and I hadn’t paid taxes on it.
If a CBP official wanted to be a pain, they sure can.

[TrentePieds]

Well quite :-)! I gather that "The Donald" made reference to our torching the White House, way back then. "Not fair to America" I think is what he said about it. I was surprised that he even knew about it ;-0)!

As for Scowegian history, don't forget that I are one - well, WUZ one. D'ye wanna discuss what Danes think about Swedish neutrality during WWII? Or maybe the bombardment of Copenhagen in 1807? And the perfidiousness of the power that then possessed "the finest fighting blah, blah, blah...."?

I reckon we'd better all get down to pulling on the same trammel :-)!

All the best

TP

[Fixer]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I would bet he came over here to the US, worked his butt off, lived frugally and saved every penny he could, with the dream of one day returning home with a sizable nest egg of US Currency, cash cause it’s worth more home than most anything else.
With this he could become successful, live a better life etc.
He needed cash cause banking etc at home is crooked, and cash is King.

What bothers me most, is he was following the rules. He said he was intending on declaring the cash at the export point as is required. We have to assume he meant to, cause you can’t do anything different.
A shoplifter has to leave the store before they can be charged, he should have had to leave the country before his money was confiscated.

If anyone, any government agency of any country takes your money and does nothing else, doesn’t charge you with anything, just makes off with your money. It’s pretty clear in my opinion what the intent is, it’s to confiscate money, not fight crime etc.

A shoplifter need only conceal the item (demonstrating intent to steal) while still in the store to be criminally charged.

When I worked on a Narcotics Taskforce we routinely confiscated assets from known drug dealers - yes, sometimes without charging them with a crime. Seizing their cash, cars and homes was at times far more effective than just arresting them.

Thankfully, the men and women with whom I worked were ethical and I never saw the system abused.

[boatpoker]

For several decades I have been treated like a long lost son by the people of the east coast US (Florida excepted). I am not a US basher !

I do not equate the American people with their politicians (whom I routinely bash) and sure as hell hope you don't equate the Canadian people with that part time drama teacher / part time snowboard instructor that runs our country.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Fixer

When I worked on a Narcotics Taskforce we routinely confiscated assets from known drug dealers - yes, sometimes without charging them with a crime. Seizing their cash, cars and homes was at times far more effective than just arresting them.

End does not justify the means, executing them would also have been pretty effective, and also wrong.

[Dogbah13]

it seems to me that the US is a police state... that money is gone!

[Dogbah13]

moral of the story, next time just use Bitcoin.... you don't have to carry loads of cash and worry about TSA or police stealing them

Originally Posted by Dockhead

This is chilling:

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world...9Ug&ocid=wispr

Note that U.S. law enforcement agencies, including CBP, have broad powers, unlike in other civilized countries, to seize property from you for little or no reason.

And for sure, never carry large sums of cash across U.S. borders, even if you have scrupulously followed all of the rules!