FRA Zoll question. . .
Oct 7, 2008, 10:39 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 135
FRA Zoll question. . .
so I arrived in FRA today from the U.S., and it looked like Zoll was stopping everyone at the "Nothing to Declare" gate at the baggage claim.
They were searching every third person's items, I estimated, and there was a backup of people on their way out. Specifically, they asked me where I was coming from, and I was waved through.
After arriving in the main hall, there were still customs officials milling about, but I went through to catch a taxi. After loading my stuff in the boot, a customs officer approached me and asked to see what was in one of my carry-on items.
Now, does anybody know what was up today at the airport? Does this coincide with the book fair, or is this some major step-up on the normally rather relaxed customs in FRA?
They were searching every third person's items, I estimated, and there was a backup of people on their way out. Specifically, they asked me where I was coming from, and I was waved through.
After arriving in the main hall, there were still customs officials milling about, but I went through to catch a taxi. After loading my stuff in the boot, a customs officer approached me and asked to see what was in one of my carry-on items.
Now, does anybody know what was up today at the airport? Does this coincide with the book fair, or is this some major step-up on the normally rather relaxed customs in FRA?
Oct 7, 2008, 11:24 am
#2
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 6,967
No idea but a few weeks ago I was asked 'may I see your watch, please?'. (It was a Mickey Mouse watch which did draw a smile) I assume that was an effort to catch those travelling back with expensive items which they 'hide' by wearing on the flight.
Oct 7, 2008, 4:20 pm
#3
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so I arrived in FRA today from the U.S., and it looked like Zoll was stopping everyone at the "Nothing to Declare" gate at the baggage claim.
They were searching every third person's items, I estimated, and there was a backup of people on their way out. Specifically, they asked me where I was coming from, and I was waved through.
After arriving in the main hall, there were still customs officials milling about, but I went through to catch a taxi. After loading my stuff in the boot, a customs officer approached me and asked to see what was in one of my carry-on items.
Now, does anybody know what was up today at the airport? Does this coincide with the book fair, or is this some major step-up on the normally rather relaxed customs in FRA?
They were searching every third person's items, I estimated, and there was a backup of people on their way out. Specifically, they asked me where I was coming from, and I was waved through.
After arriving in the main hall, there were still customs officials milling about, but I went through to catch a taxi. After loading my stuff in the boot, a customs officer approached me and asked to see what was in one of my carry-on items.
Now, does anybody know what was up today at the airport? Does this coincide with the book fair, or is this some major step-up on the normally rather relaxed customs in FRA?
I have been "searched" in FRA after arriving from th US when they were just looking for gifts I may have purchsed. Recently I have noticed that the German customs are looking for people moving cash in/out of Germany which has not been declared. I have been questioned several times after arriving from ZRH ...
I guess yesterday they were looking for something specific after some kind of lead or tip-off!?
Oct 8, 2008, 1:45 am
#4
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Munich, Germany
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It was the same today, good for me that I got a direct transfer service from my late-arriving SIN-FRA flight which easily allowed me to skip all the lines.
Not sure if I would have made my FRA-MUC flight if SIN-FRA had been on time.
Not sure if I would have made my FRA-MUC flight if SIN-FRA had been on time.
Oct 8, 2008, 2:24 am
#5
Join Date: Oct 2007
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Probably a routine control. They do it from time to time but normally they are more interested in people arriving from Asia, Middle East or especially South America. Only during the christmas shopping season and if the dollar stays low the might be more interested in people coming home from the US.
Oct 8, 2008, 5:30 am
#7
Join Date: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,941
This smells like a special search designed to deter "high rollers" from smuggling. I bet there were TV teams around as well. Just recently, German TV stations reported on special searches for larger cash amounts at border custom stations (actually throughout Europe).
I always wondered why customs authorities did so little about high value smuggling (watches, computers, new wardrobe, ...). There are stiff penalties on smuggling, so our "no mercy" German finance minister should be interested in a more aggressive approach. A couple of months ago there was a magazine report that a Munich soccer star who did not declare a €2000 handbag at customs (coming in from Dubai) had to pay a stiff €50000 penalty for smuggling.
I always wondered why customs authorities did so little about high value smuggling (watches, computers, new wardrobe, ...). There are stiff penalties on smuggling, so our "no mercy" German finance minister should be interested in a more aggressive approach. A couple of months ago there was a magazine report that a Munich soccer star who did not declare a €2000 handbag at customs (coming in from Dubai) had to pay a stiff €50000 penalty for smuggling.
Oct 8, 2008, 5:35 am
#8
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This smells like a special search designed to deter "high rollers" from smuggling. I bet there were TV teams around as well. Just recently, German TV stations reported on special searches for larger cash amounts at border custom stations (actually throughout Europe).
I always wondered why customs authorities did so little about high value smuggling (watches, computers, new wardrobe, ...). There are stiff penalties on smuggling, so our "no mercy" German finance minister should be interested in a more aggressive approach. A couple of months ago there was a magazine report that a Munich soccer star who did not declare a €2000 handbag at customs (coming in from Dubai) had to pay a stiff €50000 penalty for smuggling.
I always wondered why customs authorities did so little about high value smuggling (watches, computers, new wardrobe, ...). There are stiff penalties on smuggling, so our "no mercy" German finance minister should be interested in a more aggressive approach. A couple of months ago there was a magazine report that a Munich soccer star who did not declare a €2000 handbag at customs (coming in from Dubai) had to pay a stiff €50000 penalty for smuggling.
Oct 8, 2008, 6:49 am
#10
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It does seem strange, considering whenever I arrive in FRA (LH423 arrives at 05.20) the Bundespolizei are already awake (they need to be!), nobody from Zoll is up, and you could walk through the red lane and nobody would stop you.
Oct 8, 2008, 6:53 am
#11
Join Date: Oct 2007
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Only because you don't see any from Zoll doesn't mean they don't have an eye on you. Also around 5am not much international traffic is arriving. I think the first LH flights from North America with LH423 the first one come in but not much besides that.
Oct 8, 2008, 9:33 am
#12
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: FRA
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Same this morning when I arrived from MCO. There was a whole bunch of Zoll people, checking hand luggage after passport control in B and then even more in the baggage claim area, searching quite a number of bags. But didn't stop my girlfriend or me, both having two huge bags with us.
It really seemed that they were looking for something specific rather than just trying to get tourists to pay the German VAT plus a fee for not declaring.
It really seemed that they were looking for something specific rather than just trying to get tourists to pay the German VAT plus a fee for not declaring.
Oct 8, 2008, 9:35 am
#13
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They normally do have an eye on the red lane. A couple of years ago I witnessed a woman that didn't bother to go through the green lane and just tried going through the red lane instead, because nobody seemed to be around, but within seconds somebody was standing next to her and asking what she wanted to declare.
Oct 8, 2008, 11:25 am
#15
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Anybody remember when the US had red lanes and green lanes? I was digging through a cabinet at the office and found an old arrivals video for my city, back before the terminal was renovated, and when we had the color coded customs lanes...