Trouble at the Border

[snap-roll]

Ok, so here is the situation. In my past, I have been caught by CBSA (first and last time) declaring a lower amount than actual value of paid goods. While trying to help a friend out to save money in taxes, I had a homemade receipt that was for a lower amount than actually paid. When they did the search and investigation (while I waited) they concluded (correctly) that the value was higher. This led to an interview and finally a seizure of the goods until payment of a penalty was made. They also told me my passport would be "flagged" for 7yrs when entering Canada. It is the last part with the "flagged" passport that I am worried about. I am just curious whether anyone has gone through (or will admit to) a similar situation and the impact it has had on their flying career or with security passes. This was a very bad decision on my part and one that I will live with but am also very worried that it will stall my options as I enter the industry. Thank you for your help and insight.

[Expat]

Get a new passport.

[trey kule]

I have no idea of the answer to your question, but the situation is interesting.

Are we talking a great deal of money here? I ask this because I travel a great deal outside Canada, and in the course of travels, end up buying things like a new pair of shoes, or sunglasses etc. I have never kept receipts and when asked at the border tell them yes, I bought some stuff in the last few months but did not keep reciepts..Never had a problem, but if you are talking a small amount of money here, it has gotten my attention.

Please share a few of the details if you would as it may be a help to some of us.

[ahramin]

The fact that your passport is flagged means that each and every time you go through the border, they are going to have a very close look at you and your stuff. I know a guy who had his and his wife's passport flagged. Now every time they land customs is there, they go through the airplane completely, they have lots of questions, and if anything is not exactly as declared, they will get fined no questions asked.

However, from a career standpoint this is a non-event. It will not affect your ability to get a security pass, and your prospective employers will not know about it unless you tell them. It will be a pain for you personally, but not professionally.

[Canuck223]

Yep, like he said.

You can count on never being waved through inspection for the next few years.

I had a friend pull a similar stunt by car, declairing nothing when he had $2k worth of gear on board. If he'd declaired the proper amount he'd have paid $150 for the GST if the guy at the booth cared enough to wake up the guy inside. By lying, it cost him a heck of a lot more.

There have been times when I've verbally declaired a slightly lower amount, but never totally out of line with my purchases. I would rather "remember" another reciept on secondary inspection than get caught dirty.

In the early 90's when the daily limit was only $20, I used to shoot a monthly match in NYS. A car with 2-3 adults returning with guns on board that declaired no purchases was sure to be pulled over. We would pick up some reloading supplies or gun parts at the match, and always declaired $100+, over the limit. Only once in perhaps 40-50 trips was I pulled over to pay the tax even though I voluntarily disclosed that I was over the duty free limit every time.

The most scrutiny I got was extra questions because I never brought back alcohol or cigarettes.

[snap-roll]

I have no idea of the answer to your question, but the situation is interesting.

Are we talking a great deal of money here? I ask this because I travel a great deal outside Canada, and in the course of travels, end up buying things like a new pair of shoes, or sunglasses etc. I have never kept receipts and when asked at the border tell them yes, I bought some stuff in the last few months but did not keep reciepts..Never had a problem, but if you are talking a small amount of money here, it has gotten my attention.

Please share a few of the details if you would as it may be a help to some of us.

It was some automotive parts pruchased privately for 4k and declared at 2k. They tracked down the seller and he spilled the beans while I waited. The penalty was 55% of value ($1100) plus the passport flag. So what about canpass or entering through canpass only facilities? I have read but do not quite understand the legal jargon the government loves so much. Thanks for all of yourn input.

Snap

[cdnpilot77]

I have no idea of the answer to your question, but the situation is interesting.

Are we talking a great deal of money here? I ask this because I travel a great deal outside Canada, and in the course of travels, end up buying things like a new pair of shoes, or sunglasses etc. I have never kept receipts and when asked at the border tell them yes, I bought some stuff in the last few months but did not keep reciepts..Never had a problem, but if you are talking a small amount of money here, it has gotten my attention.

Please share a few of the details if you would as it may be a help to some of us.

It was some automotive parts pruchased privately for 4k and declared at 2k. They tracked down the seller and he spilled the beans while I waited. The penalty was 55% of value ($1100) plus the passport flag. So what about canpass or entering through canpass only facilities? I have read but do not quite understand the legal jargon the government loves so much. Thanks for all of yourn input.

Snap

So, Was it worth it trying to scam the system? How much did you save and how much time energy and stress did it cause?

[Beefitarian]

If you can gat a can pass that would help but you probably can't get one because of this. Anyone know if I'm wrong?

[Darkwing Duck]

Get a new passport.

How will this rectify the situation. A passport is good for 5yrs. He is flagged for7.

I have never shown receipts to a customs official. And I always round up on my purchased amount when declaring. One time I declared well over $2000 (one item about $1000 alone) on purchases I made and all they did was say "Have a Nice day." No duty no GST nadda. Here I was expecting and prepared to pay. I was out of country for 3 months, not sure if that had anything to do with it but if you are up front and honest they have let me go everytime.

[snap-roll]

If you can gat a can pass that would help but you probably can't get one because of this. Anyone know if I'm wrong?

Wouldnt that be a nexus? I am no longer eligible for that.

[Beefitarian]

Things like these tend to not make sense. In theory you can never get a nexus but you might apply and get it. Also in theory the point of a Canpass is you skip the line because you're known as someone that does not need to be checked by customs.

Apply and see if they give you one. If they do, it should remove the flag.

[Expat]

Get a new passport.

How will this rectify the situation. A passport is good for 5yrs. He is flagged for7.

I have never shown receipts to a customs official. And I always round up on my purchased amount when declaring. One time I declared well over $2000 (one item about $1000 alone) on purchases I made and all they did was say "Have a Nice day." No duty no GST nadda. Here I was expecting and prepared to pay. I was out of country for 3 months, not sure if that had anything to do with it but if you are up front and honest they have let me go everytime.

I don't know haw it works, but if the flag is passport based, a new passport would solve the problem.
No need to wait 5 years. My passport is full after 2 or 3 years, even with 48 pages. You can also lose it, and get it replaced...

[snap-roll]

Get a new passport.

How will this rectify the situation. A passport is good for 5yrs. He is flagged for7.

I have never shown receipts to a customs official. And I always round up on my purchased amount when declaring. One time I declared well over $2000 (one item about $1000 alone) on purchases I made and all they did was say "Have a Nice day." No duty no GST nadda. Here I was expecting and prepared to pay. I was out of country for 3 months, not sure if that had anything to do with it but if you are up front and honest they have let me go everytime.

I don't know haw it works, but if the flag is passport based, a new passport would solve the problem.
No need to wait 5 years. My passport is full after 2 or 3 years, even with 48 pages. You can also lose it, and get it replaced...

Its not a physical flag in the passport, its an electronic flag.

[Expat]

Yes, I know, but these guys do not use fingerprints, or retina scans, but the passport number...

[Beefitarian]

For me this conversation highlights the problem with customs and the security morons. The system should function in a fair and consistent manner. It doesn't.

The flag may not be an issue or it may be a problem that will never go away.

[AuxBatOn]

snap-roll,

I understand you are "sorry" and realize it was a bad idea, you have remorse, etc AFTER you have been caught. Would you sign the same song hadn't you been caught?

[Expat]

For me this conversation highlights the problem with customs and the security morons. The system should function in a fair and consistent manner. It doesn't.

The flag may not be an issue or it may be a problem that will never go away.

Not exactly. The flag is good in one way. Normal inbound passengers simply go through, without much hassles. Of course, there are random checks, but overall, the customs systems works pretty efficiently. Actually much better than the CATSA.
In my seven years of travelling back to Canada, I had only one incident, and was not flagged for further checks. ( I was very diplomatic about the whole thing... )

Canadian customs are not bad, if you are polite, and do not treat them badly.
My 2 cents,
expat

[Beefitarian]

I have also had typically easy interactions with customs. The very few times I had an issue left me puzzled.

[FL_CH]

I always try and make sure it's not a woman I'll be dealing with...Almost every time I had to deal with a female customs officer, I was either red-corridored or asked to provide my life story, after a 12+ hour journey with no sleep in the preceding 24 hours...

I'm not being sexist, it's just my observation...

[Lurch]

I have dealt with this before, not my indiscretion but others.

You will not be approved for a CANPASS or NEXUS for the next 5-7 years(I can't remember how long he "served"), you can try, but you will be denied. The gentleman is question forgot to declare an item, they found it. he applied for a CANPASS 5 years in and was denied they quoted the reason and told him to try again in 2 years. He recently reapplied and was accepted. He was searched almost every other time we returned, they would search his bags, and question him and not search/question any other passenger on the plane. He was even asked once if he had failed to declare in the past, he answered correctly.

You will most likely be searched every time you cross the border for the next few years, this should be reduced as you get close to the end of the 5-7 years. I don't know how this will affect your job or security clearances but expect to get searched even if you are a crew member.

I hope for your sake you learned to just be honest, and that others will read about what you did and how it has affected you and will think twice.

I flew the gentleman mentioned above back from Vegas and they purchased 2 pairs of sunglasses, one valued over $800, the other more then double, his wife said don't worry they wouldn't know, he declared. Customs didn't even bother showing up we gave them a Credit Card Number over the phone and he got charge a whopping $49.

I once brought back twice as much booze as allowed, they told me I was over, I said I'll pay the duty, they said don't worry, have a good day.

Don't be stupid, just declare, as stated earlier, 9 times out of 10 they won't care.

Lurch

[snap-roll]

This was definitly one of the more stupid things I have done in my life but AuxBatOn, yes I AM very sorry that I tried to scam the system. I got caught and now paying for it and I deserve it, no question. Its a likely story, but yes, it was the first time and will for sure be the last time it ever happened for me. It simply was not worth the stress, embarassment, or penalty.

I will say, that I crossed the border twice, including the day after the event, since it happened and maybe its just dumb luck, but neither time has my vehicle been searched or even asked any more questions than normal. I pray that my 20+ years of crossing the border without incident has earned me some leniency, but I dont count on it! Thank you all for your input!

Edit:

Let me ask another question!

Would you tell an employer or prospective employer about the situation?

[JakeYYZ]

No!

[robertsailor1]

Its probably best that you don't add anymore problems than you've already managed to create plus keep in mind most people are extremely judgmental which you should have learned from some of the posters. We "all" make mistakes, its part of the human experience. Learn from it and put it behind you.

[Lurch]

I will say, that I crossed the border twice, including the day after the event, since it happened and maybe its just dumb luck, but neither time has my vehicle been searched or even asked any more questions than normal.

Might take some time to get into the system.

I forgot to mention your plates are now flagged as well. We purchased a plane years ago that was flagged, I couldn't figure out why we were getting searched everytime we landed. I finally asked and the agents told me the plane was flagged. A few phone calls later and some proof it was the previous owner and I was able to get it taken off. I suggest changing your plates to new ones.

Lurch

[Beefitarian]

I suggest changing your plates to new ones.

Lurch

I would wait until the flag comes off the passport. If I were working customs and noticed you changed your license plates I'd think you were up to something for sure. The vehicle inspection/dismantling tools would come out that day.