# Being stopped by Douanes



## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

I've been reading a thread on another forum (no names, no pack-drill!) about being pulled in, in France for a check by customs police.

A customs vehicle catches up with you, passes you and indicates you've to follow - perhaps a couple of miles off the motorway... 

I'm not at all sure I would want to do that (being a solo female, and pretty suspicious) but wonder what would be the fallout, or how I could deal with the situation to ensure they were who they said they were. 

The driver in question (also solo, tho male) had to leave his MH and stand outside for the best part of half an hour while they took the MH apart.

How could I ensure my safety in that situation?


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## Devonboy (Nov 19, 2009)

As a solo female I would suggest lock all doors & dial 112!


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## Webby1 (Mar 11, 2012)

I think on that thread there were some good suggestions. 

If all it takes to rob a motorhome is to put on a funny hat and a sign saying "you must follow me" we're in trouble.

Did they not say that in Spain there are no plain clothes police on the motorway.

Unless they had big guns and it might come to that in the end, I would not be stopping for anyone.Or certainly not pulling off the motorway.

I would be happy to explain and to deal with any fallout later.........excepting the big guns bit

What does a Spanish police uniform or ID document look like anyway ???

But yes, worrying for any solo traveller, shall I say especially a woman or leave that out


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

It was France, that was mentioned and yes, they do go around in shoals and they have the right to stop and search BUT common sense would suggest going to a place of safety beside eg a Gendarmerie and ringing 112 if you are worried.


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## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

Yes, it was France.

I'd have to stop somewhere to find out where there WAS a gendarmerie. And I could be a very long way from one. 

I don't fancy following someone to an out of the way place, but equally I don't fancy NOT following what looks like an official vehicle. Can I just pull into the side of the motorway till I check with 112?

I guess I can, as I stopped on motorway when my wipers flew off.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Sat Navs should have (if selected) all police stations listed nearby. Yes worrying if you not near one. Maybe another reason for a dash cam.

Ray.


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## fatbuddha (Aug 7, 2006)

the only time we've ever seen Douanes doing checks is either at an autoroute toll area where it's easy to pull drivers over, or at static locations (often roundabouts or main road junctions). 

we got pulled in a few weeks ago at one of the latter on the way home from 6 weeks of travel - Douane wanted to check where we'd been, where we were going and took a quick look inside the vehicle and rear garage (I had to apologise to her for the smell from our stinking MTB shoes which smelt like cat's pee after getting very wet!) and then let us go on our way. no doubt if she had been suspicious we were transporting anything dubious a bigger check would have happened. 

it does seem to me that the French Douanes have increased their presence in the last year or so and random checks increased.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

I do not understand the purpose of the questions "Where have you been/going?"


If one were doing anything irregular one could give erronious answers.


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## rogerblack (May 1, 2005)

nicholsong said:


> I do not understand the purpose of the questions "Where have you been/going?"
> 
> If one were doing anything irregular one could give erronious answers.


A bit like the question on the US I-94W Visa Waiver Arrival form:

"Do you seek to engage in or have you ever engaged in terrorist activities, espionage, sabotage, or genocide?"

I wonder if anyone has ever ticked the YES box?


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## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

raynipper said:


> Sat Navs should have (if selected) all police stations listed nearby. Yes worrying if you not near one. Maybe another reason for a dash cam.
> 
> Ray.


Yes I do have a dashcam. I'd still have to stop to access the nearest gendarmerie. 


nicholsong said:


> I do not understand the purpose of the questions "Where have you been/going?"
> 
> If one were doing anything irregular one could give erronious answers.


I guess they already know where you've been so if you say differently they'll be all over you.

The fellow in question (in OP) was 'loitering' about Northern France/Belgium for a few weeks as there was something wrong with the dogs' doco, so I guess his movements would seem suspicious.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

rogerblack said:


> A bit like the question on the US I-94W Visa Waiver Arrival form:
> "Do you seek to engage in or have you ever engaged in terrorist activities, espionage, sabotage, or genocide?"
> I wonder if anyone has ever ticked the YES box?


Yes Roger but the American thugs have absolutely no sense of humour.
I took $50k into the states to buy an RV so declared it as requested. When asked by a thug why I had brought so much money into America, I replied to help you out with your balance of payments.
They detained me for hours giving me the third degree. Never again, keep it straight.

Ray.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Yes it's like the question they used to ask in UK airports. "Did you pack your own bag?"

To which the answer definately isn't , "Yes, I put the bomb in there."

I never said it but had to bite my tongue every time.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

raynipper said:


> *Yes Roger but the American thugs have absolutely no sense of humour.*
> I took $50k into the states to buy an RV so declared it as requested. When asked by a thug why I had brought so much money into America, I replied to help you out with your balance of payments.
> They detained me for hours giving me the third degree. Never again, keep it straight.
> 
> Ray.


Your not kidding. 1998 on a business trip I got arrested in Minneapolis airport at gunpoint and interrogated by the head of security with two of their airport cops stood either side of me. All I did was leave the immigration queue and try and find someone with a match to light my cig. I went off into the corner of the arrivals hall and was trying to light the one match I had found when these feckers pounced on me. I dont suppose I helped myself by stating I was just trying to have a "***" 

They threatened to deport me!


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## dghr272 (Jun 14, 2012)

rogerblack said:


> A bit like the question on the US I-94W Visa Waiver Arrival form:
> 
> "Do you seek to engage in or have you ever engaged in terrorist activities, espionage, sabotage, or genocide?"
> 
> I wonder if anyone has ever ticked the YES box?


On visiting a Florida port off a cruise ship we were warned not to joke with those checking our entry as they took their job really seriously.
As they say 'there's always one', cheeky chap in the adjacent queue joked about a bomb in his backpack, within seconds he was in cuffs and lead away with guns drawn.

Terry


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Yes Terry and Baz. I have heard of Brits being put on the next plane back because of silly jokes at immigration. My wife had forgotten about a banana in her handbag and a sniffer dog found it. She was made to feel like a criminal and again threated with being refused entry to their Land of the Free.?

Plus several times we have serious problems getting back into Arizona from Mexico and detained for hours. One reason was because my Christian name is spelt like the Spanish. 

Ray.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

I think my issue was I got a bit lippy and demanded to see someone from the British consulate and mentioned something about a special relationship not been worth much. I think I also said "do I look like a f*cking terrorist?" It was then when they threatened to just stick me on the next plane back to Gatwick that I thought it best to eat a bit of humble pie. 

Bit young and daft.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

I was stopped by the douanes in the car near Poitiers a couple of years back. Got chatting to them by virtue of being in a very old French car with Spanish plates and having identified myself using my Irish passport, as I always do.

I think they stopped me to get a look at the car. Anyway they told me they were stopping all foreign registered cars because France was full of foreign registered cars being used by people who were permanently resident in France. The first thing they asked me was where I lived, presumably looking for a French address as an indication that my car could be one of the illegal ones. Seemed a fairly futile exercise to me. Nice enough people though, as long as there's nothing wrong.


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## fatbuddha (Aug 7, 2006)

erneboy said:


> Nice enough people though, as long as there's nothing wrong.


the lady douaniere who pulled us up was impressed with the fact we spoke to her in French as her English was p1ss poor. always helps to break the ice speaking to authorities in their language


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

I try and manage to explain and say what I want which always leads the French to speed up remarking how good my French is and then I'm lost. 

Ray.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

We, too, were interrogated by border police at Minneapolis airport a few years ago. Escorted to separate offices and quizzed about our reason for entering the country. Our crime was to have bought a return ticket on a previous visit. We had been delayed leaving and knew we were coming back so bought a return ticket. This meant that we were entering the country with no pre paid ticket back to England. How very dare we!
It was all due to a bereavement in the family but they were having none of it! Pretty scary at the time.

I remember a nun ahead of us in the queue telling the officer, after he enquired into them. of her travel plans. She was flying to San Diego staying for a few days, then visiting an orphanage in South America somewhere, and then flying back. "M'am" he said "I will be the one who decides where you go and when!"


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Had a right old time of it with Mossad once as we crossed from Egypt into Israel via the (then recently opened and very soon to be closed again) land crossing at Taba in the Sinai. 

Two couples travelling together. They lived in Cairo but were originally from NI. Us from NI and all of us having in the recent past been in the US and Cypress a few times. The Mossad lads assumed we were IRA which finally dawned on me and allowed us to get it cleared up. I'd thought the questioning was rather strange and all the stranger when one was obviously senior started remonstrating with the others for not have separated us. He did that in English, no doubt for our benefit. All of it was odd and might very quickly have become frightening I think.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

In 1994 I popped over to France alone for 2 days to sign and pay the deposit on our 'Holiday' home. Coming back to Portsmouth I was pulled over by customs for a search and asked where I had been, I said Normandy. OK I was on my own and hadn't even bothered to buy any booze or duty free. So they almost pulled my car to bits. Door panels off boot emptied and engine compartment searched. I was then asked again where I had been and when was the last time I had been in Spain? I thought and remembered 1982 and said so. This resulted in an even more thorough search and me being stripped.!

Eventually finding nothing Customs asked again when was the last time I had been in Spain? I repeated 1982. Then why have you got a Spanish postage stamp in the pocket of your passport? I pointed out the stamp was about 5 Pesetas and how long ago did Spain use pesetas? 

Realising they had been stupid all they said was "You can go now" and left me to tidy up. No apology or anything else. Basturds.

Ray.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

We had trouble when we visited Israel

We were pulled aside

We had been to sharm-el Sheik 

We continued to have problems at borders 

Demanding we empty the car

And we we were not that young to lug it all out , but they stood back and let us 

But we showed them our identity old card , for us and 6 kids , 3 born in Israel 

It dated back to before they were born , they loved it 

And immediately they replaced everything in the car 

And wished us a pleasant journey 

And when the hound from hell is no more

I so long to go back

Sandra


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

raynipper said:


> Yes Terry and Baz. I have heard of Brits being put on the next plane back because of silly jokes at immigration. *My wife had forgotten about a banana in her handbag and a sniffer dog found it. She was made to feel like a criminal and again threated with being refused entry to their Land of the Free.?
> *
> Plus several times we have serious problems getting back into Arizona from Mexico and detained for hours. One reason was because my Christian name is spelt like the Spanish.
> 
> Ray.


Ray

Almost an opposite story.

I was flying into Washington and had taken the remnants of my fruit bowl - one oange and one apple. I ate the orange and declared the apple. Consternation, lots of discussion amongst Customs Officers about what to do - eventually thrust into my hand and told to disappear.

What nonsense!

Geoff


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## MeFeinMcCabe (Mar 28, 2009)

I always find the UK Border Agency people the worst of the lot. Majority of them no manners and act as if they are some special forces operatives rather than civil servants.

The Israelis are a strange lot, travelled there to watch a football match and on the way back out an immigration official went down the line handed out different coloured cards, depending on the colour of the card dictated the length of interogation. Check in was four hours before the flight.

Where had you been what bars did you go into, what tourist sites did you visit.

Dont think I would ever go back


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## peribro (Sep 6, 2009)

Never had an issue with UK Border Agency but I guess that's because I have a UK passport and always use the self scanning machines. 

In defence of US immigration (who I agree can be horrendously harsh) we arrived in Orlando a few years ago for a family holiday and were doing the thumb prints, photos etc when the lady immigration officer told us all to stop! Mrs P plus our four children (13- 18 at the time) and me told to stand still and she asked our youngest why he hadn't had a haircut before coming to the USA because they didn't allow people without haircuts to enter! Even I wasn't sure she was joking until she broke into a big smile and started laughing - the kids loved it!!


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Amazing Peter as we found no sense of humour at all and after the first time which cost me several hours was frightened to even speak.
We have been 'detained' many times and 'delayed' many more times either by thugs or their 'systems'.

Ray.

Ray.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

peribro said:


> Never had an issue with UK Border Agency but I guess that's because I have a UK passport and always use the self scanning machines.
> 
> In defence of US immigration (who I agree can be horrendously harsh) we arrived in Orlando a few years ago for a family holiday and were doing the thumb prints, photos etc when the lady immigration officer told us all to stop! Mrs P plus our four children (13- 18 at the time) and me told to stand still and she asked our youngest why he hadn't had a haircut before coming to the USA because they didn't allow people without haircuts to enter! Even I wasn't sure she was joking until she broke into a big smile and started laughing - the kids loved it!!


I had exactly that entering Malawi at Blantyre Airport. There then ensued a discussion as to whether they'd cut my hair for me before letting me in. In the end that took my assurances, and a few dollars, and let me in unscathed on the condition that the first thing I did was to get a haircut.

Old Hastings Banda ran a tight ship Peri. You'd have loved it.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

I got arrested and interrogated at Minneapolis airport.  Little ole me for heavens sake! Do I look like a Terrorist?


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

I remember when i was working for an international 'Loss Adjuster' and we had a problem in our Toronto office and I had to go there.


I worked out that is was cheaper to fly via Boston than direct.


At that time Boston had no Transit Lounge so I had to go though US Immigration and back out.


I was asked why I wanted to enter the US -......' I don't, but you have not got Transit facilities'. 



That caused some black looks but they let me through.






At that time Miami did not have Transit either, so for some trips from UK to Carribbean and S. America the same applied.




I hope I never see a US Immigration Officer again.


Geoff


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

barryd said:


> I got arrested and interrogated at Minneapolis airport.  Little ole me for heavens sake! Do I look like a Terrorist?


It's the dark glasses on your picture that worried them, along with that cheesy grin that we can all see on your picture........

I am not surprised they would be concerned......

>


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Penquin said:


> It's the dark glasses on your picture that worried them, along with that cheesy grin that we can all see on your picture........
> 
> I am not surprised they would be concerned......
> 
> >


Fair enough.

One word of advice. If you do get hassled or interrogated by the US customs / anti terrorist squad / airport Rozzers, dont get all clever and cocky with them. It doesn't work.


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## peribro (Sep 6, 2009)

When we arrived in New Zealand a few weeks ago, I was asked by a gentleman at customs whether I had any walking shoes in my luggage. I knew what he was interested in - shoes / boots with mud on them that you go walking in. I replied somewhat truculently (tired after the flight) - "Yes, of course I have - shoes that I walk in". He smiled and waved me through. 

God help me if I had done the same at US Customs!


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Penquin said:


> It's the dark glasses on your picture that worried them, along with that cheesy grin that we can all see on your picture........
> 
> I am not surprised they would be concerned......
> 
> >


He looks like a drugs kingpin, or possibly a wing nut. Not sure which.


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## Sprinta (Sep 15, 2010)

Sounds to me that my inherent dislike for yanks is sensible. When I was in Canada a few years ago I was talking to a chap while we were sightseeing somewhere in the Rockies, and it seems I’m not alone as he/they can’t stand them either. They also pronounce tomato correctly as well. 

I can recall a trip to Romania on my motorbike and there was a huge queue at the border with Hungary, two lines solid with cars and vans and stuff. Well I wasn’t waiting for any of that and simply rode through the lines to the front partly expecting to have an argument, it was blisteringly hot and I was a bit p’d off, so sod it! As I got to the front of the queue and made to get my documents ready, the guard looked at me and the bike and said to me “Hayabusa, fast bike, you go” and so, go is what I did.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Ha ha I hope you don't push to the front of every queue like that Sprinta. I have seen some cars try to 'jump' the queue at Portsmouth and Dover only to be pulled out and given a thorough checking over and delayed.

Ray.


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## Sprinta (Sep 15, 2010)

Not usually, there’s a time and a place etc. but I was so hot and bothered that day there was no way I was stopping and waiting unless forced to. 

How’s the weather where you are today?


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Weather here in Normandy very blustery with on/off squalls but did reach 13c earlier. I think we have missed the worst of Dennis although more rain forecast.

Ray.


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