Woman is fined $500 by customs officials for carrying an APPLE
Apr 23, 2018, 9:59 am
#106
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
Actually, CBP isn't about PR. If this teaches people not to bring apples undeclared, then they have won. They got more educating of the public than they could have paid for.
Apr 23, 2018, 10:24 am
#107
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Tokyo
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Apr 23, 2018, 10:26 am
#108
Join Date: May 2003
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Apr 23, 2018, 10:29 am
#109
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 1,885
The few people that I know with GE, are SOOOO careful about following the requirements to the point of paranoia, especially when it comes to food. Given how fearful they are about it, I really do not understand how she failed to declare - its not even a question of forgetting because everyone is so hyperaware, even with processed foods, never mind agricultural goods which everyone knows are an issue. It was 100% her fault, stop blaming others and pay the fine. This falls under the category of strict liability, same as speeding. You might not have intended to be speeding, and they might not pull everyone over who is speeding or even fine everybody, but you can still be held accountable under the presumption that you "should have known."
Apr 23, 2018, 10:39 am
#111
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 1,885
I have a bit of first hand experience seeing how crops, the environment and economies can be devastated by transporting produce between countries and even states, so I absolutely support any measures that are taken. This would be a good opportunity for the gov to educate the public with some real life examples of what has happened when foreign bacteria and insects are introduced.
Apr 23, 2018, 10:41 am
#112
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Tokyo
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I have a bit of first hand experience seeing how crops, the environment and economies can be devastated by transporting produce between countries and even states, so I absolutely support any measures that are taken. This would be a good opportunity for the gov to educate the public with some real life examples of what has happened when foreign bacteria and insects are introduced.
Apr 23, 2018, 10:42 am
#113
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Apr 23, 2018, 10:44 am
#114
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Why not ban all meals on flights to the US? That would be easiest and fastest. Well, easiest and fastest if expecting adults to act like adults is off the table.
Apr 23, 2018, 10:46 am
#115
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Apr 23, 2018, 10:50 am
#116
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Tokyo
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Posts: 1,532
Wouldn't be the easiest because of the public outrage. You don't HAVE to eat packaged fruit that can be carried off the plane.
Apr 23, 2018, 10:52 am
#117
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: SLC
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If given the choice between a $500 fine and losing GE (and TSA PreCheck, although perhaps one could sign up separately even if GE revoked for customs violation?) I would gladly pay the $500 fine.
The duty-free exemption for alcohol is generally 1 liter. Which is basically anything more than 1 bottle. So when the GBP was super-depressed ~16 months ago I brought a few bottles of some nice bubbly at the LHR duty-free, and declared it. I was specifically asked why I declared it. "Because it's over the 1 L duty-free exemption." I got a "fine, go ahead" and an eye-roll.
The duty-free exemption for alcohol is generally 1 liter. Which is basically anything more than 1 bottle. So when the GBP was super-depressed ~16 months ago I brought a few bottles of some nice bubbly at the LHR duty-free, and declared it. I was specifically asked why I declared it. "Because it's over the 1 L duty-free exemption." I got a "fine, go ahead" and an eye-roll.
Apr 23, 2018, 10:54 am
#118
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Eurozone
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Apr 23, 2018, 11:00 am
#119
Join Date: Sep 2000
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The USDA and CBP regulations are focused on fresh foods/produce/grains and not items that have been cooked, packaged, canned, bottled, etc.
They want to look at items that can be harbingers of larvae, live beasties, and even carcasses.
Think med fly; think emerald ash borer; think European gypsy moth; think brown tree snake.
Each of these beasties have caused havoc with agriculture somewhere in the USA or in a US possession.
There was a seizure at BWI recently of Khapra beetles which are really, really bad news if they made it into the US grain network. The beetles were found in a bag of rice.
They want to look at items that can be harbingers of larvae, live beasties, and even carcasses.
Think med fly; think emerald ash borer; think European gypsy moth; think brown tree snake.
Each of these beasties have caused havoc with agriculture somewhere in the USA or in a US possession.
There was a seizure at BWI recently of Khapra beetles which are really, really bad news if they made it into the US grain network. The beetles were found in a bag of rice.
Apr 23, 2018, 11:02 am
#120
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 338
Aeroflot passes out roses to business class passengers just before landing at JFK.
I left mine on the plane, my seatmate did not. She was sent to secondary customs inspection because of the rose. The officer examined the rose closely, and let her keep it; did not fine her. I think customs inspectors have some wiggle room to decide enforcement action by themselves.
I left mine on the plane, my seatmate did not. She was sent to secondary customs inspection because of the rose. The officer examined the rose closely, and let her keep it; did not fine her. I think customs inspectors have some wiggle room to decide enforcement action by themselves.