Strip searching cars

[Val_2]

My daughter rang just after 5 to say she had arrived at St.Malo safely ready for the 18.30 Condor to Poole via Jersey & Guernsey and she had been strip searched of everything in her car and all her baggage for the very first time ever since any of began travelling to and from France in the past 22 years. She was on her own and is only 26 and a regular on that crossing every three months so perhaps they have her down as suspect, who knows but she was pretty upset especially having her underwear on show.

[idun]

I was probably completely random and it'll never happen to her again.

[Val_2]

I hope not. She said she was mortified because some of her underwear was dirty and a bit holey and they made her feel like a criminal. She only took one thing back and that was a LeClerc own brand Coulommiers cheese, no alcohol nor tobacco etc. She also said she had never seen them search Condor passengers before so I wonder if they have had a threat or something nationally and are stepping up searches.They never used to bother with people leaving France although we knew BF had dogs on board in the old days that used to sniff out cars as we had seen them and they would radio through to arrivals about anyone they had doubts on.

[nomoss]

[quote user="Val_2"]My daughter rang just after 5 to say she had arrived at St.Malo safely ready for the 18.30 Condor to Poole via Jersey & Guernsey and she had been strip searched ........................... she was pretty upset especially having her underwear on show.[/quote]

Had to read it at least twice before I realised it was only the car that was searched. [:)]

 

[Chancer]

Well having had the rubber glove treatment myself I too thought it was a body search, even when I read the bit about dirty and holed underwear I still didnt click, I thought that I had finally found a female kindred spirit [:D]

I am still chuckling at the image [:D]

My dirty and holey underwear does not make me feel like a criminal! [:D]

[idun]

I don't think that women feel like criminals if they are caught with dirty holey underwear, just very embarrassed.

And when women say dirty, I'm not sure that we mean quite the same thing as men do. I think that we would mean our smalls need a quick rub through,  and that would be OK. Obviously wouldn't cure the 'holes', but most women keep their grundgy underwear for the times les Anglais ont debarques.

What with a husband and two sons, I really don't think it is the same at all, when they say their undies need a wash, they do need a good wash.

[Val_2]

By dirty, it was the items she changed before leaving as I had done the laundry the day before but unfortunately I think some of the items were a bit on their last legs and as the girl says to me often, I can buy three of those in Primark for one in Super U regarding pants.

Ah well, made for a bit of banter if nothing else.

[PaulT]

Perhaps it also serves well for others to see someone or someones car being taken apart - some might take note.

Once we were driving a hire van that we had taken over from the UK along the Autoroute at the base of the Pyrenees and had passed the junction where the road from Spain joins and were then required by people in a Customs van to pull into a service area. I was required to open the back which contained building materials and nothing suspicious. The official talking to Yve must have realised we had nothing we should not and said that drugs come in to France on the way to the UK in vans travelling from Spain. So there could have been something about the pattern of your daughters travel that raised suspicion.

There is a series on one of the UK cable channels about UK customs. In the one this week they showed them targetting lorries and their cargo. One was carrying sheets of plywood. They drilled through a couple of the top sheets and the drill then just slid striaght down. When they removed the top sheets the lower ones had had the centre cut out and replaced with over £1m worth of drugs.

Another had hidden compartments containing drugs.

For those smuggling drugs with a car who knows, perhaps they think dirty underwear might put off the customs men and women.

[Théière]

[quote user="PaulT"]

One was carrying sheets of plywood. They drilled through a couple of the top sheets and the drill then just slid striaght down. When they removed the top sheets the lower ones had had the centre cut out and replaced with over £1m worth of drugs.

Doors from Indonesia undergo rigorous inspection for the same reason.

For those smuggling drugs with a car who knows, perhaps they think dirty underwear might put off the customs men and women.

Is that a skid mark or cannabis resin [:-))]

[/quote]

[Frederick]

[quote user="idun"]

I was probably completely random and it'll never happen to her again.

[/quote]

Unless she has upset someone

Or some joker phones her car number in for a laugh !

[Chancer]

Even at the UK prices I would would deck any customs man or douane who tried drilling through the plywood and veneered MDF sheets that I bring over.

Mind you if I were taking them from France to England then I would definitely merit a pull, if only to have me sectioned to a mental institution!

[Gardener]

How about a pair of these

http://www.uberreview.com/2006/01/brief-safe-ultimate-safe.htm

[Saucedecochon]

I think you will find the Douane are very much the law and decking them might result in difficult travel long term!!

 The more crud you have in the motor and the worse its packed/chucked in may result in a pull. But so may a completely empty van/car. Its random so don't take it personally.

A strip search is normally conducted indoors, so I presume yours was not a personal but rather a look in the baggage.Pants are pants, or knickers, perhaps a bit fay to get upset about them unless they made you run along the quay topless??

Having travelled since I was 17, much by road, hitching, and over some of the worst borders of the world (Iran - Turkey perhaps), with long hair, and now a beard, a mere hiccup at a channel port phases one not a jot. And whats to smuggle these days. Fags, wine? Not enough supermarkets in the UK?

I used to get p****d off and rant when turned over. I have started disrobing and pointing out my duration of travel, over sanitary facility availability  ratio, whilst reminding them my bags contain a good duration of dirty washing, and also reminding them the smart dude with the Samsonite brief case is more likely to be a mule.

Fuelled by an arduous trip from Portugal in one stint and mucho caffiene my very best friend got down to his socks on the quay at Caen, much to the mirth of Les Femmes Anglais on the departing bateau, who congratulated him on the performance once onboard, and drinks were accompanied by at least one compliment on his "nice a**e!".

I have sat beside my van - empty save two bags and a picture, while a diligent fellow went to get a cordless screwdriver to remove ply panelling from wheel arches, grinning over my mush, secure in the knowledge I was entirely legal. One of the best ciggys I ever enjoyed watching that charade.

I've has a car on jacks, wheels off. I've had dogs in the back sniffing and drooling over my kit ( hate dogs). In Germany I watched a fellow  young long haired son of somebody take a kicking at the customs, for cheek, before they ripped my new haversack to shreds.

Douane -pah.

My tip is if you are legal, relax, open the doors if asked, explain the whys and wherefores politely and the customs boys and girls are just fine and dandy. I could give them all a big kiss.

[Chancer]

I swear you old hippies only keep your hair long because you love the rubber glove treatment so much [6]

Good advice, I comport myself like that, all the more so when I do have something to hide, I can only imagine that they would drill through plywood sheets if the driver had gobbed off at them so I cant in reality see it ever happening to me althoughif they did I would find it very hard to control my temper, I would be very menacing at the least.

I too have had to reassemble campervans and people carriers before continuing on my journey, the worst was the journey when I brought the bulk of my stuff over, it took days carefully loading and reloading the vehicle and trailer to use every last cubic centimetre, when it is all summarily chucked out on the concrete its hard to repack and its then that the gits want to hurry you up.

[Clarkkent]

Earlier this year I was selected (apparently at random) while in line waiting for the ferry at Newhaven. I had to open my boot for inspection. As it happens, I don't travel with a suitcase but carry things in large, flat, transparent plastic boxes and it was very easy to see what I was carrying.

There were two men, one wearing customs officer's uniform and one with a dog. The only comment I received was for my taste in wine, since I had a dozen bottles of Buzet rouge.

And in July, at the Eurotunnel terminal at Folkestone, I was directed to a place which looked like a bus shelter where I was questioned about what I was carrying. They didn't look in my car, though - I wonder whar they would made of a 10 litre drum of very cheap emulsion paint from B&Q?  [Www]

[Gardengirl]

We were sent for inspection on Saturday at the Eurotunnel terminal at Folkestone, the first time in the Prius. All they did this time was to wipe the steering wheel and door handles with their wand, then sent us on our way after a few minutes. They seemed to be checking all cars at that time.

After reading this thread, I was thinking they might go right through all our huge amount of luggage we'd packed in, and which was extremely carefully packed, but no problems. We also smile sweetly at them whenever stopped, and always act politely; never had a problem with staff involved.

[Clarkkent]

[quote user="Clarkkent"]

Earlier this year I was selected (apparently at random) while in line waiting for the ferry at Newhaven. I had to open my boot for inspection. As it happens, I don't travel with a suitcase but carry things in large, flat, transparent plastic boxes and it was very easy to see what I was carrying.

There were two men, one wearing customs officer's uniform and one with a dog. The only comment I received was for my taste in wine, since I had a dozen bottles of Buzet rouge.

[/quote]

That should read "ferry for Newhaven".

[NickP]

[quote user="gardengirl "]

We were sent for inspection on Saturday at the Eurotunnel terminal at Folkestone, the first time in the Prius. All they did this time was to wipe the steering wheel and door handles with their wand, then sent us on our way after a few minutes. They seemed to be checking all cars at that time.

After reading this thread, I was thinking they might go right through all our huge amount of luggage we'd packed in, and which was extremely carefully packed, but no problems. We also smile sweetly at them whenever stopped, and always act politely; never had a problem with staff involved.

[/quote]

We use the tunnel about a dozen times a year, and the funny thing is we only seem to get "checked over" in Folkestone when accompanied by the Grandchildren, I don't know what that says about our Grandchildren? How ever as GG says you smile; treat them as you would like them to treat you, and there are no problems. Being a frequent traveller I am glad that they check because it's in my safety interests. Coming through on the Calais side most people get the steering wheel and door handle checks most of the time from the French security, but it's quick and a very necessary inconvenience

[PaulT]

[quote user="Clarkkent"]

And in July, at the Eurotunnel terminal at Folkestone, I was directed to a place which looked like a bus shelter where I was questioned about what I was carrying. They didn't look in my car, though - I wonder whar they would made of a 10 litre drum of very cheap emulsion paint from B&Q?  [Www]

[/quote]

About 20 years ago I was travelling via Stanstead (in those days only a dozen flights out a day) to the Us. When I put the hand luggage through the xray machine an was told to take it to a nearby counter.

It was turned out and out came calipers and brake discs, ball joints etc for a P6 Rover (the bag weighed about 65lbs). 'It's only Rover parts going to the States'. Apparently, it was quite a common thing.

I would think that paint is an extremely common thing to be taken from the UK to France - along with all sorts of other things.

Paul

 

 

[Frecossais]

We came over once through the tunnel and were pulled over by customs who ssked us very politely if we could open our boot.

OH looked at our car and said, "Not very easily" We had a double bed base and mattress on the roof rack and a bike and a moped on a bike rack at the rear of the car.

The customs officer looked too, said, "I see what you mean," and waved us through.

[NormanH]

It used to be quite a problem 20 years ago, even without a car.

I used to come over on Eurolines or by train and ferry, and coming back to the UK at Dover felt like I was trying to get out of East Germany pre 1989

I have been strip searched 3 times

Thoroughly questioned  down to details such as "what is particularly characteristic of the station in the small town in which you claim to live ?"  ( The answer I gave was that the name of the place was in Topiary on the platform) , and

had all my  stuff minutely inspected.  I  had a couple of books belonging to a friend of mine( including a diary )  which they looked at closely. Fortunately I had said that they weren't mine  because they then offered me some advice such as it would be better not to frequent such people.

I always felt ill at ease, even though I was always clear.

I did get a sort of revenge back in the Hovercraft days when after a heavy night out at the Frog and Rosbif (is it still there I wonder) and a very rough crossing on the Hovercraft I answered the question 'Have you anything to declare?'' by spewing down the officer's trousers.

[woolybanana]

So, Norman, dodgy even in those days!

Glad you are back by the way. Hope things are as they should be.

[PaulT]

[quote user="NormanH"]I have been strip searched 3 times
[/quote]

Some people will do anything for pleasure [:D]

[Gardian]

[quote user="gardengirl "]

We were sent for inspection on Saturday at the Eurotunnel terminal at Folkestone, the first time in the Prius. [/quote]

They were looking for Hoisin smugglers.[:-))]

[NormanH]

[:D][quote user="PaulT"]

[quote user="NormanH"]I have been strip searched 3 times

[/quote]

Some people will do anything for pleasure [:D]

[/quote]