# Immigration officer checks on return from France



## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

I was reading an article in the Daily Mail yesterday reporting on the trial in Paris of 28 alleged people smugglers.
It described the 'package deals' provided by the smugglers.

For the £7000 package the migrants were transported to ports such as Calais and Cherbourg where they were encouraged to get on lorries heading for England.
Others paid up to £14000 for the 'bespoke service' which involved travelling with false papers *inside a camper van* driven by one of the smugglers.

With the costlier package the service was 'pretty much guaranteed'.

Question:
How often has your van been searched by immigration on your return journey from France?


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## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

We go to France 3 times a year and have been searched (with varying degrees of thouroughness) 4 times.

Sometimes it seems to be just a token gesture but nevertheless an officer has entered the van.


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

We go 3 to 4 times a year.Stopped once. 2 days before last xmas.by a group of 4 officials 8O . In the garage, in the wardrobe,loo, lifted the beds, checked the drop down,underneath the van.Didn't care about booze **** anything, just people.

tony


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## colpot (Jun 9, 2008)

we have been 3 times in the Motorhome and searched twice. What I am concerned with is that on the last two hops across to Calais in the car, both times no one looked at our passports at all either going out or coming back.


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

They haven't searched the mh everytime we have crossed back to the UK.

We tend to go abroad at least twice a year. Their checks are not very thorough, or at least ours are not. Maybe they do not like Springer Spaniels.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

We go twice a year and have always been "searched" ie someone gets into the van and has a cursory look round. Once or twice they've looked in the bathroom but never in underbed lockers. I suspect that for anyone determined to smuggle people using a MH would be quite easy.

Like colpot I too am concerned that no-one has looked at our passports. Many years it literally never comes out of my handbag.

G


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## gromett (May 9, 2005)

In my previous MH I never got stopped. Since having the Eura I am stopped every time on the way back and more often than not multiple searches/questions each time.

Last time on my way back I got stopped by borders, customs and then a drug search. Spent an hour. Asked them if they talked to each other and was told no.

Karl


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## 04HBG (Dec 9, 2007)

For the past few years it has been common practice for the immigration people on the French side to have a quick look inside the van and under the seats.

Twice in recent years i have been both out and back into the country without so much as a glance at or a request to see a passport, no search no nothing, frightening really,but so much for security.

RD


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## gnscloz (Oct 4, 2008)

hi , been just twice thoroughly searched each time,

i must look dodgy? 8O 8O


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## camper69 (Aug 30, 2007)

Being stopped once in two years. Not very well though. The lady officer looked under one seat found the water tank, looked under the other seat found it full of wine, looked in the bathroom and found it full of dirty washing.

The two places she did not look were under the bunks where we could have hidden a couple of people and in the over cab. Don't think they had really thought out where the big spaces were in a motorhome.

We always have fun coming back with immigration though as they insist on seeing the kids and comparing them to the passport photo's. The thing is how does the officer decide if the 12 year old he is looking at is the same person with a 5 year old photo in the passport ? 

Best question I had leaving Dover one year was where was I going ? The obvious answer of France did not go down well. 

Derek


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## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

camper69 said:


> Best question I had leaving Dover one year was where was I going ? The obvious answer of France did not go down well


I went with two mates for a day-trip several years ago to Vimy Ridge. On the way back, a Gendarme was standing with his pork-pie hat inside the loading area for the ferry. My mate wound the window down, waved his passport at him, and shouted in an outrageous Peter Sellers French accent, "Excoozy-moi - do you went to see our pisspots?" The Gendarme shook his head, and said, "Non, non, eez ok."



Dougie.


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## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

we go 4 or 5 times a year passports always checked then they are scanned onto puter.

had couple of searches they always seam surprised to find a water tank

joe


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## Seeker (Dec 26, 2005)

Yep, once each of last two years - officer came on board and poked around a bit but not to extent to be safe.

Thing I've often wondered (hope I'm not giving anyone ideas) is why Al Quaida has never packed a motorhome full of explosive and sunk a ferry with it half way across the Channel. Must be a lot easier than trying to get through airport security and the impact would be just the same, if not greater.

And other ferries around Europe are even easier.

Harry


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## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

Seeker said:


> Thing I've often wondered (hope I'm not giving anyone ideas) is why Al Quaida has never packed a motorhome full of explosive and sunk a ferry


How irresponsible. I'll bet some A-Q mole on MHF is emailing them as we speak. We'll know who to blame.

:twisted:

Dougie.


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## MrsW (Feb 8, 2009)

We've been searched both out-bound to France at Plymouth and inbound from Calais on a different trip where they actually asked me to show them where someone might hide (as if I would show them if I had hidden someone in my van!!


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## hymerbeliever (May 8, 2009)

Well there's a funny thing, having just being stopped in Dover on return from Germany in our newly acquired Hymer. I did say to my wife that we'd get pulled in Dover having German explort plates and a 1 way ticket.

Firstly I'd like to say that the UK Borders Agency do a fab job and I'd bend over backwards to help them. We intially got searched french side by the French Police (with guns) who came on board and were polite and friendly. We then got searched again french side by the UK Borders Agency, who were very friendly and courteous. She said they get catch a lot of people inside motorhomes who have got in whilst stopped for fuel or shopping in Calais.

Dover was a different story. We got pulled out of the line in the tunnel into a shed on the left where we were greeted by a young girl in a UK Borders Agency dayglo jacket waving at us to pull forward (or so I thought). When stopped she came over and said "I told you to pull over to the right" in a very abrupt manner, to which I explained that I had ob misunderstood her (weak) hand gestures. She then said "passports", to which my wife said "I think you mean passports please". Her manner went downhill from there but we cooperated courteously and allowed on our way after 15 mins of questioning. 

At the end though, I did explain to her that the UK Borders Agency does a fab job and that I'd cooperated fully but she may find her job a little easier by being polite. She then enquired whether I'd like to make a complaint sir, to which I said no, we just want to go home.

If you are importing a motorhome, you may well get stopped, so make sure that you have all of the papers, receipts, outbound flight tickets, your passports and that the vehicle is properly covered by export plates or whatever of use in the UK....and be polite even though the UK Borders Agency staff may not be.


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## Wupert (Aug 6, 2007)

We travel Dover Calais and Euro tunel summer and winter.

In 4x4's Saloon cars and MH and quite rightly we have been questioned always, occasionally searched, had the steering wheel dusted for drugs and explosives??? 

We have found no difference to procedure whatever vehicle we are in.

The questions remain the same and we have never been asked about booze.

What is fantastic is the fact that they scan your number plate and know who you are and who should be in the vehicle before speaking to you.


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## averhamdave (May 21, 2005)

Like most of you we've been checked over for illegal stowaways a few times, usually by UK customs in Dover when returning home. I would agree that these days stashed booze and **** don't now seem to concern them (not that we have any), its people they are looking for.

Passports do seem to be less of a concen also, the only checks now again being in the UK on the way home.

Does it matter about passports anyway? The French/Spanish don't bother, in fact I'm never even sure where their orders are! Same comment applies accross many euro countries. And please don't suggest that ALL the illegal immigrants want to come here as pro rata we are low in the league table of accomodating such people


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## Manchego (Sep 26, 2009)

Always makes me laugh when going out they always seem to ask "do you have any knives". You get a funny look when you say yes, about a dozen including a very sharp set of sushi knives. Coming back they always seem to want to have a look inside but i have never been asked to open the external lockers. I sometimes think that some of the people they employ aren't the brightest.


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## peej (Feb 21, 2009)

My wife Jane went to Brussels recently on a W.I. coach trip full of ladies "of a certain age".

On the way back at Dover they were completely taken apart by customs who searched the coach with dogs and examined all their luggage.

When they asked why they had been targetted it turned out that there had been a tip-off and their coach was tagged as high risk on the computer because a cannabis factory had been found in our village last year.

What the officials failed to notice was that one fewer lady came back than went out - because she had a heart attack while out there. I said it was people trafficking in reverse.

If it was shown on TV as an episode of "Jam & Jerusalem" it would have been dismissed as too far fetched!

Peter


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## Autoquest (May 16, 2007)

Reminds me of the 'Life of Brian Sketch' When about 20 legionaires troop into a small room containg the entire 'peoples front of Judea' only for John Cleese to announce after the search; "We found this spoon sir!"


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## teal (Feb 23, 2009)

Yes we have been stopped and searched few times but funniest was at Andorra, we were in a queue and when out turn came up they asked us what we had to declare , said nothing and puzzled look on his face so he looked in every cranny before letting us go.


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## geordie01 (Apr 20, 2006)

we were stopped the last time at dover on way back in and pulled into the shed me mrs and miss geordie. officer came over and asked if we had any cigarettes or tobacco products any dugs or fire arms to which i replied no we do not smoke i we have some paracetemol and i am not a good shot and should the question not have been the other way round he just glared at me and put the drug dog in the van.


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## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

Once when we were pulled into the shed in Dover the exit door was shut. Once they'd been over the van they told us to just back out. I said not until you go out and stop the traffic. We had quite a ding dong and they kept saying just back out and we were blocking the shed. I refused to back out and said we'll just stay here and have a cup of tea until you're ready to stop the traffic.

At that point, they decided to stop the traffic so I could back out.

Joe


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## MeFeinMcCabe (Mar 28, 2009)

We seem to get stopped all the time, leaving and entering the country.

In principle I have no problem with that but its the jobsworths who act like little SS officers that annoy me.

They always seem really disappointed when they dont find anything.


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## tessajoe (Sep 23, 2008)

*customs stops*

i have been stopped and searched at least 5 times,once they even drilled holes into the roof void and put a tiny camera in to search,i had my gas bottles xrayed my spare tyre as well,once i had the french police standing all over my roof{with big jack boots on}looking in my top box.but i welcomed every search with a smile and co-operated fully.what i would like to be done is to be searched EVERY TIME i cross the tunnel,i would also like every car,van,motorhome,wagon etc etc searched as well.i know this will create a lot of jobs{that will be paid for with all the loot,drugs,money,etc etc that the customs WILL find.this is the only way to keep our country safe.lets nip it right now before anything really serious happens.i think we should have a poll on the who wants to be searched.


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

Well I must be extremely lucky because in over 20 years of travelling to the continent I have never been searched coming back  

Been searched twice for explosives going out and once arriving at the Spanish border during the foot and mouth outbreak but as far as searches go that is it. 

Also been stopped by Gendarmes and questioned as to where I had been and was going but not searched. Also been stopped by Spanish police and breathalised, I'll add with negative results, and that has been the sum total of being stopped for any reason.

peedee


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

_ who wants to be searched_

Me, *intimately*, every time!!


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## Manchego (Sep 26, 2009)

Actually i resent being treated like a criminal just because i want to take my motorhome to another country. If you really think that what would be found by employing an army of people to search every vehicle, i can only conclude that you haven't thought it out. Apart from the fact that you can't sell the drugs to recoup the money it would be pretty pointless. Most of the dodgy stuff comes in by lorry, container or by airfreight any way. The nominal presence they have at the ports is just really a deterrent.


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## jedi (Nov 22, 2007)

I feel a whole lot better for reading this thread. I used to think they always picked on me for being a single traveller. They only seemed to have been looking for people on each occasion and didn't even grumble when having to clamber over all the cases of wine littering the floor.

I was a bit miffed the time the French customs raided my fridge though. They nicked my cheese and ham! I think they were hungry.


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## Patrick_Phillips (Aug 17, 2006)

04HBG said:


> Twice in recent years i have been both out and back into the country without so much as a glance at or a request to see a passport, no search no nothing, frightening really,but so much for security.RD


I suspect we are missing the point. Very little smuggling is prevented by officers at the point of entry - not many of them anyway.
The work is done through intelligence picked up on the way to the ports. Very, very much more effective.
The main reason people are searched at the port at all is that the public wouldn't think anything was being done if they didn't. It is really no more than a PR excersise at that stage.
Patrick


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Customs*

Hi

At the Swiss border, Basle/Mulhouse, I was delayed by almost one hour whilst customs went through the motorhome with a fine tooth come.

Never been stopped at Calais.

I have been asked to show proof of ownership at Dover.

Russell


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## JockandRita (Jun 1, 2005)

jedi said:


> I was a bit miffed the time the French customs raided my fridge though. They nicked my cheese and ham! I think they were hungry.


Being French, they probably thought to themselves, "there's no way he's bringing that British c##p into our country." :lol: :lol: :lol:

Cheers,

Jock.


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Had the odd cursory search but we've never once been asked to have a look in the garage or exterior compartments on any van we've owned.

We once got stopped on the way out at Dover and had our tank dipped for red diesel.

Pete


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## hblewett (Jan 28, 2008)

We once got stopped going out of Dover - the customs guy admitted his main purpose was to look at the layout, so he was looking at them as he went they went through!


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## CliveMott (Mar 10, 2008)

Most times a customs bod has a look inside the van. Despite my offerings they have always declined to have a look into the rear garage that is warm and big enough for two motorcycles and some clutter. 

Why don,t we actually TRY and protect our borders directly in stead of picking fights elsewhere?

C.


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## Manchego (Sep 26, 2009)

Protect from who ?. I'd suggest that most of the problems stem from the perceived benefits available if you get here rather than the actual fortifications. I mean you don't see any wire fences or customs points when you go from Holland to Germany or most other european countries. Why alone do we feel the need to check everybody in and out ?.


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## hblewett (Jan 28, 2008)

If we kept our noses out o other people's business they would keep their nooses out of ours. And we'd save a lot of money if we stopped trying to police the world.

Some call it "punching above our weight"; I call it spendin more than we can afford.


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