pbarnette

Another thread? I struggle to think of a better place to discuss efforts to combat invasive species than a thread about someone violating the rules in place. Yeah, this isn't the place to discuss import duties on sorghum, but whether it is appropriate to bring random foreign fruits and vegetables into the country is on point.

People need to grow the heck up and take responsibility for their actions. I mean, I just got a speeding ticket in the mail from a camera. I genuinely didn't see the school zone lights flashing and got caught. I paid the fine because that is what adults do. The woman made her bed and she has to lie in it, yet she is choosing to act like a petulant child.

Gig103

CBP isn't in the business of making the public feel safer, that's the Theater Security Agency. CBP is about protecting our borders, including from physical threats like pests and non-indigenous fruit.

FireEmblemPride

Your speeding could conceivably get someone killed or hurt. You deserve that fine and then some.

This apple case? I have very little faith in CPB for many, many reasons and this doesn't improve their image to me whatsoever. To each his/her own, though.

wxman22

Exactly, and part of that is understanding the difference between an apple that was served to you on a plane versus an apple or two you picked up on a farm or in a local market.
Why the sense of outrage is that people who travel often overseas know that the confiscation of prohibited fruits happens hundreds of times per day in real port of entries, like JFK, with no $500 fines or consequences.

Sadly, my experience at the smaller POE's is that the bureaucracy of INS and Customs looks for ways to justify their existence, whereas in the busy places like JFK, they have a modicum of common sense. In fact, I always find all the agents at JFK pretty pleasant and almost always with a welcome home.

As for GE. i now find that I always say YES to the food question, otherwise see above. But honestly, is candy food? What about wine?
What about that snack, fruit, candy you brought with you from the USA and never ate, threw away??

For those of you you see black and white in everything, I wish I lived in such a simple world.

Guzzirider

If a fine is meant to deter it must be big enough to make an impression. One apple might seem like nothing, much like one bit of trash out the car window. Littering caries a big fine if you consider it as only one small thing. The problems with imported pests are big enough without slacking on rules, if millions of travelers were not deterred from breaking rules it would be worse. As a farmer I have lost two crops because of quarantines, once from Mediterranian Fruit Fly and once for Mexican Fruit Fly. Cost me far more than $500, more like nearly the farm and in some growers cases is has cost the farm.

pvn

my opinion was that the post I was responding to was hilarious

pbarnette

What difference is that? Specifics please. Please be sure to address why apples served on planes are exempt from agricultural import restrictions.

pbarnette

And a stray pest can destroy the livelihoods of farmers and increase costs to consumers. I certainly deserved my fine, but so did the woman.

LegalTender

The agent exercised his/her discretion to fine the woman.

"Attitude adjustment" is part of their repertory.

The agent's report will omit the "attitude" part, stipulating the woman was deemed to be involved in illicit activities.

DiscHandler

15 years ago my wife got fined $100 for having Japanese pears in her bag. This came up in her GE interview and she was warned about the updated fines (now $300 1st time/$500 subsequent) and potential loss of GE status.

From my perspective, it's fairly clear that this is a hot-button issue for Customs and for GE travelers. Serial violators (especially if this woman was being fined for a 2nd (or more) violation) will get punished.

The trick is to always declare. You have GE status so you'll bypass most people in the exit line anyway. Spend an extra 3 minutes answering questions in secondary as a "trustworthy" GE traveler and be on your merry way. So what if agents are snarky if you're being cautious, just brush it off. GE is too valuable to take any chances with.

DiscHandler

Or if you read the flyer talk thread on GE status and food declaration, you'll find that this is a fairly consistent application regarding GE holders, and the $500 proposed fine probably meant at least a 2nd violation.

PS Did a poster above really expect Customs agents to distinguish between a market bought apple and an airline provided apple? Really? What's to prevent everybody from lying when caught that it was given to them on the plane. I find it remarkable people criticize the by the book folks here and then come up with this type of "logic".

LegalTender

Why would GE status affect the fine?

I'd love to see the language.

pbarnette

pbarnette

Paplover

I don't think the fine amount varies with being GE, it is that with GE when you are caught you are more likely to be fined than normal travelers. Being in GE means you have promised you would not violate any of the rules for entering the country and in exchange are given preferential treatment through ports of entry. By violating that trusted status, CBP will come down harder since you were informed of the rules and agreed to follow them in exchange for being a trusted traveler. I suspect some GE holders do not understand all the implications of using that status.