Your experiencesYour rights as British citizens - The steady flow of e-mails from outraged British citizens continues. It seems that attitude is definitely a reason to seize with this lot, the old cherished British values of evidence needed to establish guilt, and innocent until proven guilty are well out of the way these days. Most NORMAL people will of course react to illogical and offensive questions about their personal lives after a holiday or daytrip, but all this does is give these bullies scope for seizing. Anti Terrorist legislation, designed apparently to make you and I safer, is now being used to stifle dissent and the opportunity to shop where it is cheapest. No wonder we are in such a mess. Remember no evidence needed. It's clear HMRC also spend time noting number plates in Adinkerke. Now that they are all part of the new border agency setup, why aren't they investigating the illegal immigrants clearly evident in Calais? Seems you need to be British and a tax payer to get their attention. Most importantly British citizens are not just scared to travel for shopping trips, but are avoiding doing so. Where are you Europe? It can only happen in the United Kingdom, some of the comments made to us recently by United Kingdom citizens who have crossed our borders (sic); "I travel to France several times a year. I would say 80% of the time I am pulled over by customs and searched. Simply because I don't have recipts for every single purchase, my entry into the UK is usually delayed by at least an hour. My car has been stripped down and rebuilt at least 6 times. Officers are rude and ignorant. I am a 39 year old white male, lived in England all my life traveling with my boyfriend. I hardly look like a terrorist. I dread going abroad because I know it's going to be a humiliating living hell trying to get back into my home country." (from yourfreedom.hmg.gov.uk) "For a number of years I have been going to Germany to buy motor caravans and nine times out of ten was given the third degree at dover yet I had done nothing wrong. Questions like "where have u come from?" A - "Germany". Q "how long are u staying?" A "I live here, cant u see the motor is on transit plates?" A pull in to that bay then an hours grilling and searching my camper, about thirty times in total". "do you think i was targeted? I was asked all about past trips and future plans,they took passport away for ages approx 1 hour. will i get stopped every time i travel now and at airports in future?" "Only been over Belgium two times in one year, lost car for 10kilos of tobacco,that was 5kilos each. Don't have a leg to stand on when dealing with these people,they know it all and make it up as they go along." "i was stopped by customs at manchester airport, well within limits of giggs - not arrested .was asked to answer questions for about one hour (just a few questions). ALL GOODS SEIZED. ALL BECAUSE I TOOK MY OWN CASH WITH ME. WHAT A LOAD OF RUBBISH. COULD NOT USE MY MOBILE ( BUT I WAS NOT ARRESTED ) I THINK IT BE BETTER LIVING IN CHINA." "A friend went to Adinkirk by car 2 weeks ago and it seems they are now targeting coaches making everyone get off and carry their goods through customs. It appears it is the feeble attempt of a bankrupt government to dissuade people from travelling to Belgium and legally buying cheap tobacco for themselves." From a former Customs officer. "We were trained to be tactful, pleasant and polite, but I think, like most other things, that sort of treatment has gone by the board to some extent and I do blame the Government regulations which now make it almost impossible for any decent Customs officer to do his or her job in the way they would wish." "Even us abstainers (alcohol&tobacco) get pulled at ports and asked to explain. 1.our many trips to scotland 2.why exactly you visited. 3.markings on your atlas 4.prescription drugs 5.why you have so much kit in your car 6.why you have so many documents in a foreign language that obviously isn't arabic or english 7.why you have a largish amount of foreign currency 8.explain the pics on our cameras (medieval churches,locos) and anything else they think they can pin on you. I have been pulled&searched every trip this year. Naturally every time i've put in a written complaint over customs dodgy practices&their seemingly unaccountable ivory tower officials. Best of luck with the campaign " "On way back to Blighty, I was asked by an HMRC guy at check in how long I had owned my car, dealership I got it from, what i had paid for it, was it registered in my name, etc. Who knows what that was about?". "I have had my vehicle seized at Dover. We were left without money or transport at the port of Dover at Midnight on Saturday, myself, my wife, my son and our two dogs. This was a day trip to Amsterdam. I travel to France about 8 times a year for a week at a time. Could do with some advice help contact solicitor etc. I am still quite distraught. We were intimidated." "We had 2 boxes of tabaco each, containing 120 pouches in each box. We also had 11 3L boxes of wine. They went right over my car and after 4 hours they took the lot off me and dropped us off in folkstone train station. The annoying thing about all this is that at folkstone i asked a eurotunnel worker about what quantaties we were permitted to bring back, and she said. As long as is for your own consumption you can bring as much as you like. There are double standards here,and we are taking the blame for the goverments lack of cosideration to educate staff who should know they are destroying peoples lifes by taking their vehicles, as i now can not work,and my employees will suffer for this in a few weeks time, as i can not now price jobs in quarries without a vehicle." "PLEASE ADVISE ON CUSTOMS TRICKS & HOW TO AVOID THEM & ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ASKED." "I am a courier for a travel company. Returning from Santander on 15 sept 2009 with 42 clients we were all interviewed with 20 people having their tobacco products seized, all within suggested levels. one gentleman only having 500grms of rolling tobacco, not been abroad for 1year. Thank you." "I should have been interviewed with my wife instead of being interviewed separately - after reading your feedback I am appalled." "We were held for more than two hours as they opened all tobacco packs, the wine boxes and ripped the linings from our holdalls. We were questioned separately." From another web forum. "The situation in the United Kingdom seems to be getting worse and worse. Every time we go back now we are quizzed about the purpose for our visit, hardly something we need tell the customs officials when returning to the country of our birth and nationality. With this kind of bureaucracy, it's easy to forget that these people are employed BY US, at our expense, and for our benefit. We are their masters, not their servants. I hope everyone will stand up against this kind of bureaucratic bullying by referring every incident to their MP and to various civil liberties groups." "After a wonderful day out, we drove back to the port. United Kingdom Border Agency checked our passports and asked why we had been to Calais. Naturally we stated 'shopping'. We were allowed to carry on. Waiting for the ferry, Immigration visited every vehicle checking its contents. This I accept if people are trying to smuggle illegal immigrants in to the country. As you can imagine, my mind was racing thinking that due to what i had encountered throughout the journey, that i was going to be stopped by HMRC when leaving Dover port. However, i felt intimidated by the experience. i know i only had some wine and a few pouches of baccie, but it made me feel like i was smuggling cheap goods in to my own country." "the brits were herded into a channel into customs. foreign nationals were allowed past unhindered. the bags of the brits were searched at long tables. people had the humiliation of turning out their baggage and made to undergo the worst type of questioning. what is your income? what are your outgoing expenses? who are the goods for? do you have any savings? are you on benefits? how often do you travel? how come you can afford to travel! i cant see any nicotine on your fingers! how much would you purchase the goods for in the uk? how much do you smoke in a day? in a week? how long do you estimate they will last? i informed them that i came each year at the same time when the ferry company did discounted fares. i was asked if i had been stopped on any other occasions, itold them yes. i refused to answer questions or sign anything because they have interrogated me beforehand and should have it on file. the humiliation was terrible. customs held me for two hours +. i was in agony with my back and legs throbbing, i kept pacing in small circles to ease the pain. at one time i was left unattended for 33 minutes stood at the tables. everyone had gone ages before. my friend had to wait outside for two hours waiting for me. eventually the superior came and told me that my 5kgs of baccy was seized. this time they said i didnt smoke!!!!! it beggars belief. i'm proud to be british!!! god knows what the customs will do if they ever get weapons." From a message board posting - "Driving through Dover port in a car with Czechoslovakian plates, containing false compartments concealing two Afghanistan stowaways, a quantity of semtex, cocaine and no excise goods? Can't see what you are worried about." "lost my car and tobacco. we had 100 packs each, only travelled twice abroad in five years. to be treated like you're a criminal and told to walk and leave everything, who are these people? I WILL TELL YOU - ENGLISH HITLERS. what an attitude. had the interview and guess what, long walk back to xxx, i am going to fight them. i am not a criminal - i am a smoker. any advice please" "the United Kingdom Border Agency at Calais when the lady was checking the passports and asked me what relationship did i have with the other car occupants. I advised it was my mother sitting next to me, and in the back was my sister-in-law and her daughter. The officer looked at me strangely and asked if i had written permission from the parents of the 2 females in the back. This threw me a little bit and so i had to explain to her in simple terms that the 2 females were old enough as the one was my sister-in-law and the other did not need parental consent as her mother was sitting next to her!!! The penny dropped with the officer and so was allowed to carry on." "As usual, the drive through Dover security was nerve-racking but did not get stopped. My only thoughts now is that because i have a chipped passport, the system knows i have been to the continent twice in the past few weeks and will probably stop and search on the next trip. I will probably run out of my tobacco in 2 months and want to travel again but not go through all the hassle of United Kingdom Border Agency and HMRC." "Has my passport been marked?" "getting stopped and searched and treated like a criminal every time i come from holiday or on a business trip is no good either." "For last month me and few of my friends have been stopped by customs every time we travel from anywhere - as soon they put passport on scanner - something comes up - and we are directed straight to customs. Turns out it's new tactics used by customs to stop and search people who previously been stopped and items seized from them. Nice. I'v been stoppen once in early march traveling from FR with some tabacco and few bottles of expensive vine. And now i am stopped at every airport in uk beause of this! Same for my mates." "i had declared my cigarettes to customs upon arrival, but because they were intended for sale - they confiscated them from me at the end (i bought 25 cartons of marlboro black). So this was my "crime" and now i am hardcore criminal as you can see. Same story with my colleagues - one of them declared ciggies like me and had them taken, other 2 had seizures (they only had 7 cartons!!!)" "I was stopped and spent 2 hours in a room intergated and had my goods seized with no explaination why?" "last week i flew back from spain with under the recommended allowance. Was made to wait for ages, humiliated and belittled. Had my tobacco taken off me with no seizure notice or reciept. I am a frequent traveller but have had my stuff taken off me every time for the last 6 trips. I frequently travel because I have family and friends in both spain and bulgaria, I am self employed and well payed so I take advantage of cheap flights and free acommodation to see my family. I feel totally victimised and harrased every time I travel now. I only bring tobacco back when I have or are about to run out and then get it taken off me." "my mother and I went on a bus trip to Adinkerke. The bus was stopped by customs and we had to carry our bags through. My mother was stopped with 60 pouches of tobacco and was subjected to a 'hairdryer' treatment of why the customs officer could not believe that an 82 year old smoked roll ups at home and gave away some pouches as bithday christmas and other occasions to family and friends who smoke. Eventually the customs officer sneered at her and told her to take her bags and she didnt want to see her again. Two other elderly ladies were similarly treated." "The arrogance and incompetence of customs beggars belief." "HMR&C usings lots of intimidation, pointing out to appellants that they may face HMR&Cs costs of £1,500." "She stated that one is only entitled to the guideline ONCE a year. She also checked my passport and asked why I go so often to Spain. I advised her that Ryanair offer many cheap flights and I like Spain. She told me they would be watching me." "Just be grateful you are not in Brighton this week - it's like being in Fort Knox with the Labour Party conference - even turnstiles along the seafront! Whatever next - I prefer the cows on Normandy!" "we were stopped on entry back to uk from calais to dover. They pulled our daughters car to pieces searching for god knows what, they asked us what we had been over for and we told the truth and said tobacco, but they still continued to strip the car even taking out light fittings etc, in the process they broke the back seat where her 11 month old daughter has her child seat. we have been over to belgium 6 times in the last 3 yrs not to much i dont think. we were kept seperate for 3 hours and left alone for long periods of time, i didnt know where my husband was and he didnt know where i was, they seized all the tobacco and seized her car but then released her car as she had a baby, i think we were treated unfairly as we dont make a big habit of going over there on a regular basis." " i have been stopped four times by excise in dover, i am sick of it and dont want to travel by boat again,i am an invalid and drive an oldish car which i think is the reason for being stopped,it spoils all my day trips." "We enjoy combining a sightseeing trip with a shopping trip - there are household products we tend not to buy in England because we save 50% or more in France, as well as stocking up on wine - but being questioned by Customs, even though I am clearly doing nothing wrong, does make it somewhat less pleasant." "We have appealed against this and have been advise that the case will go to court, but we are having problems getting a solicitor to take the case on. We have been advised that the court fees will be approximately £3,000. I am registered disabled and my husband is my carer ,but so far we have not been able to get a solicitor who will agree to legal aid. This seems like ano win situation. What happened to Innocent until proven Guilty?" " the person who seized mine did not need to prove anything. When I said the cigarettes were for our own use. She simply said "I don't believe you" and gone were mine and my husband's cigarettes for the next six months, with a warning that we would be watched from now on!" What happens when you have been stopped before. "I just brought 3200 back, what a suprise they took those as well. I appealed against this and won, got a cheque for the price of the cigs but not for cost of flight and hotel since then i have not been able to go through an airport with out being stopped." "the present seizure rate for illegal drugs is a joke and rather than devoting so much energy stopping the small fish they want to be going after the big ones. after all the entire population knows how 98% of herion gets through. surely customs do too?" "i was stoped by customs and treated like a criminal . i had the guideline quota. They said they would write to me to let me know how long the tobaco should last and when i can go again . I'v heard nothing". "I have been travelling to foreign shores for many years in order to stock up at realistic prices and, no doubt like all of your other users, have become increasingly frustrated at being treated like a 2nd class citizen by our so called 'democratic' government" "she opened my bag then went in my purse and took all my contents out even read a letter my son had wrote me. She kept me for 2 hours then confiscated my goods as im a regular traveller on the 1p flights .i am disabled and they are cheap holidays.she was arrogant" "On a recent return from Alicante to London Stansted My wife and I were stopped by customs and asked where we had come from and the purporse of our visit, also whether we had any tobbacco? I explained that we had spent my birthday in Spain and met family members there. Whilst there we purchased 32 cartons {16 each} of the same brand cigarettes and 120 pkts of tobacco {80} each, this was to last us both until our next trip which was already booked for 5 months time. We were asked how much money we made per month, Who had paid for the trip, how much did the tobacco cost, how many cigarettes we smoked per day, how many times do we travel and why were we buying cigaretes and tobacco? After many more less important questions we were then asked to empty other luggage from a smaller bag which contained our dirty washing, this was spread all over the desk in full view of all the other passengers walking through this search area. Passengers wolf whistling whe the customs officer held my wifes knickers in the air. What a humiliating experience. This should be a private search and private interview and NOT a chance for customs officers to give us as much embarresment as they can. After 2 hours of checking on us they agreed to let us take the tobacco but warned us that when we travel in 5 months time then they would not expect us to have anywhere near the amount we brought back this time. We were also told by one custom officer that we are now on her "system" for any future travels. That`s nothing but a threat surely? Overall, a degrading experience which could happen to anyone so beware. In future I will write to the customs in advance and let them know when I`m travelling and what I intend to bring back, maybe this will show that we are not smugglers?" "Basically they're a law unto themselves and think they can behave as they like. " "no witnesses, no recording devices, humiliation." "HMRC seizing goods from passengers coming back to the United Kingdom from Europe, is in my view State Run Crime, goods are seized from vulnerable passengers such as OAP's. Every British Subject is entitled to a proper hearing before a court of law. HMRC are intimidating passengers so as to Steal their Goods. " "i went on my first ever daytrip to France yesterday with my 1 and only new passport going i was stopped coach serched and people by sniffer dog then back on got stopped again and me and 5 other taken off and serched, comming back we was pulled in again in a room on my own questioned but relested 3 other had goods taken they were not over limit makes me afrade to go anywhere again." "Human Rights are of no consequence to them because they hide and manipulate the Crown Immmunity awarded to themselves nor ever voted for by the public. There is no appeal system as they have chosen to operate a no cooperation policy through their Lawyers who can block any serious enquiry into their wrong doings or maladministration." "i can completely understand why people give up and fly to spain." "I have been using your site for reference for a couple of years now and I would like to start by saying Well Done and Thanks for a great source of information. Being a naughty old smoker, I have been travelling to foreign shores for many years in order to stock up at realistic prices and, no doubt like all of your other users, have become increasingly frustrated at being treated like a 2nd class citizen by our so called 'democratic' government." "Stopped by Customs today, whose questioning is amazing. I was actually asked why I had not returned immediately to the United Kingdom after visiting my Notaire, and told it was very odd that I did not! Where do they find these people? Apparently they also expect you to tell them everywhere you have been, including times, and draw very suspicious conclusions if you do not immediately and fully do this. Odd. What right do they have to intrude so deeply in our personal daily lives? Does it really matter to our State security that I stopped off at Cap Blanc Nez and did not mention it? Apparently it is. I had nine bottles of wine with me. No wonder I find used syringes in the garden of my London house and the price of drugs is so cheap in the United Kingdom. Also accused of being a liar because I forgot I had some business cards in an envelope, inside a box, in another box in the back of my car after having said I did not have any one me (I didn't). Very offensive, why doesn't someone train them in the art of being civil and serving the public interest? Do your jobs guys, regular travellers are normal and law abiding - PLEASE CATCH CRIMINALS." "by the way all the soliciters i phoned when i got back would not lock horns with the customs they all told me to forget it. great eh?" "The attitude of customs staff (control freaks!) discusting! we work hard pay our taxes only to have an upset child. I fully agree with your web site. ps do they catch real criminals ?" "CE say we can never bring anything back again or it will be automatically seized and we will be charged." "A reader who had gone over with a friend for "a good lunch in Le Touquet" and to bring back three months' supply of cigarettes and wine, was subjected by the Dover officials to the usual grilling. What was his occupation? "Retired naval officer." What had he done in the Navy? He had served for 20 years in submarines. Implying that he must be lying, the official told him he was "too tall" to have served in submarines. The captain was then given a political lecture. The lower price of cigarettes in Europe merely balanced their higher rates of income tax." "When a mate of mine and I last went to Calais (we usually go twice a year), my car was searched and we were asked how much cash we were carrying (not a lot, aren't credit cards wonderful?) by one or two men who did not identify themselves and did not tell us why they were searching my car. They looked at our passports, holding on to them during the search. We took this to be a "normal" security spot check and were allowed to drive on. (Apart from the 2 of us the car was empty). From what I have read in the press recently, I have gathered that they were, probably, HMRC operatives looking for likely suspects returning with excess to the recommended amounts of booze and tobacco. We buy little tobacco and only buy sufficient booze to keep us and our immediate families going until the next trip! What rights do they have to stop and search in this way and can we, the travellers, challenge them and ask for their identification, i.e. warrant card or similar? What else can innocent travellers like us do to avoid suspicion? Thank you for taking the interests of the likes of us so seriously!" "i was recently robbed in broad daylight by customs officers at dover and i was within the guide lines of 3 kilos of tobacco and 15 sleeves of cigs the officer who interviewed me subjected me to a degrading , uncomfortable session in which he took my goods then told me the coach i was on , would leave without me and he would keep me waiting for hours to be interviewed at length about why i would want to travel to luxembourg to buy cigs and bacca." "My car and goods were seized by customs on 14/08/2008. I was within the legal guidelines but because i travel to France often they assumed i did this each time which i did not. I have not been stopped by customs this year or last. I am also having trouble finding a solicitor ( can you help ) because to appeal. The car is a motabillity vehicle. " Comment on The Independant Newspaper web site. "I've also been stopped and searched both entering and leaving the port of Dover. I never bring anything tobacco or otherwise but still they persist. Meanwhile illegals are getting in and smuggling goes on in big trucks far removed from private cars. Like you I'm fed up with it to the degree now that I just avoid going not only be ferry but by air" "I used to work in shipping and at least once a fortnight, I learned a "Customs Examination" had been carried out on one of my containers. The container usually contained alcohol. The goods taken are never returned. I'd like to know what actually happens to a case of Johnny Walker that MUST be examined? Like anyone else with powers to seize assets, these guys are at it most of the time and I'm glad they've finally got their fingers burnt. Well and truly." "Having first hand experience of my parents convction for exceeding what must only be regarded as an arbitary quoter for the possssion of tobacco , the state is seems requires no proof of guilt of any offence , no intent to defaud no corroborating evidence to prove any wrongdoing. It seems we live in modern fiefdom with nothing more than brigands at the borders." | 
- Tell Nick Clegg! We welcome the new Government's willingness to listen and change the last lot's awful attitude to our freedom, borders and right to travel freely and without fear. 
- "A blog on issues and experiences of UK Customs and Smoking Ban. Guest posts welcome. Note:- We use the term UK Customs for simplicity of understanding, their official title is HMRC and are under UK Border Agency now.". Please remember though, that any tobacco brought back from a trip, must be solely for your own personal use (small amounts may be gifted). 
- HMRC Is Shite. This blog is "dedicated to the taxpayers of Britain, and the employees of the HMRC, who have to endure the monumental shambles that is Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC)." Do a search for articles under "tobacco" - scary stuff. 
- The Manifesto Club. A source of refreshing thinking with a campaign against our Government's attempts to stifle the Arts by denying poets and writers from abroad, visas to come here. 
- The United Kingdom Border Agency