Border searches

[palmeris]

For those that have been subjected to  a search of your rig during a border crossing, were you able to witness the search of your rig and belongings or are you separated ,and to what extent we're you personally searched.  Did you have to pass through a metal detector,  be wanded or pat down, body cavity search,etc? 

[FL-JOE]

Southern or northern border?  Coming or going?  Why would you want/need this type of information in the first place?

[Kirk W]

When we crossed into Canada with our motorhome severaly years ago via Sandy Bay Township entry we were searched by the Canadian border officers. There were 2 officers who conducted the search and we were instructed to stand in front of the motorhome where the officers could see us while they searched. The search took about 30 minutes and while one could tell that a search had taken place there was no major disturbance of our possessions. We could see into the RV just as the two officers could see us, but there were times that the officers were out of our line of sight or at least one officer was. We could not see into the rear bedroom at all and one of the officers was back there for perhaps 10 minutes. After they finished the search I offered to open the basement storage but they declined and they only looked through the windows of our towed vehicle and did not ask me to open it. The officers were respectful and professional. They thanked us for our cooperation and wished us well on our journey. Neither of us were personally searched in any way. 

Later when we returned to the US we had an inspection by a USDA officer for agriculture products which took perhaps 5 minutes and mostly looked into cupboards and refrigerator. In this case we were present for the inspection. 

[mhs4771]

Never been searched going into Canada, but twice coming back into the US.  First one, I got out to unlock the TT door and stood inside while the Officer did a quick check.  Second one, I started to get out and was ordered to stay in the TV.  Was fun watching in the mirror while they tried to unlock the RV.  Neither time were us or the TV searched.

[richfaa]

Haven't been to Canada as of late and only twice since   9/11. We have crossed the border many times both with and without the RV. We have never been  stopped  or searched  both ways just  asked the usual questions and on our way .

[LindaH]

We were searched on our first trip to Alaska in 1998.  We were not allowed inside the slide-in camper while they searched...as I recall, we were in the office or maybe we stood outside (too long ago to remember details). 

The funny thing is, we had a dog and I was carrying a file box of all the files I thought we'd need while on our trip.  The border guards never asked for any information about the dog, nor did they ask to look in the file box -- which was large enough to hold a hand gun or two or stash drugs.

They did, however, leave the refrigerator door open -- a fact we didn't discover until after we'd left, stopped, and found the contents strewn over the floor.  They also broke the front of a drawer off trying to open it (you'd think they would have searched enough RVs to know that you have to lift UP and *then* pull the drawer OUT in order to open it).  The lesson here is that BEFORE you leave the border station after being searched, go inside and check everything out.

[D&J]

Been searched once coming back into the US from Canada only because we set off the radiation detectors, we had to go inside of a building but the trailer was to big so it stayed outside blocking their driveway it took about 45 minutes. The only thing they took were two plants that had been across the border numerous times. We set off the detectors because we were in Peggy's Cove Nova Scotia and the granite there is radioactive and so is the water, it was trapped in our RO system. 

Denny 

[D&J]

7 minutes ago, LindaH said:

We were searched on our first trip to Alaska in 1998.  We were not allowed inside the slide-in camper while they searched...as I recall, we were in the office or maybe we stood outside (too long ago to remember details). 

The funny thing is, we had a dog and I was carrying a file box of all the files I thought we'd need while on our trip.  The border guards never asked for any information about the dog, nor did they ask to look in the file box -- which was large enough to hold a hand gun or two or stash drugs.

They did, however, leave the refrigerator door open -- a fact we didn't discover until after we'd left, stopped, and found the contents strewn over the floor.  They also broke the front of a drawer off trying to open it (you'd think they would have searched enough RVs to know that you have to lift UP and *then* pull the drawer OUT in order to open it).  The lesson here is that BEFORE you leave the border station after being searched, go inside and check everything out.

We've never been asked for the papers on our dogs with all the US, Canada and Mexico crossings we have made but we did have them with us.

Denny 

[palmeris]

1 hour ago, FL-JOE said:

Southern or northern border?  Coming or going?  Why would you want/need this type of information in the first place?

Both. Both. Expectation preparedness. 

 

[docj]

We've come and gone to Canada with the MH ~4 times in the past 6 years and have never been searched going in either direction.  I guess we must appear to be totally boring senior citizens unlikely to be considered a risk to either country! 😎

[chirakawa]

1 hour ago, docj said:

 I guess we must appear to be totally boring senior citizens unlikely to be considered a risk to either country! 😎

Evidently, they haven't seen "The Mule" with 88 year old Clint Eastwood.

[palmeris]

So no one has been physically been searched...just the rigs but not the tow vehicles?

 

[Big5er]

8 minutes ago, palmeris said:

So no one has been physically been searched...just the rigs but not the tow vehicles?

 

Trying to figure out where to hide your contraband?

[Kirk W]

9 minutes ago, palmeris said:

So no one has been physically been searched...just the rigs but not the tow vehicles?

Are you planning to sneak something in? Today border stations do have technology to help them know what to look for and where to look. Everyone replying were just experiencing random spot checks so you need to keep that in mind.

[palmeris]

14 minutes ago, Big5er said:

Trying to figure out where to hide your contraband?

Nothing to hide.

 

10 minutes ago, Kirk W said:

Are you planning to sneak something in? Today border stations do have technology to help them know what to look for and where to look. Everyone replying were just experiencing random spot checks so you need to keep that in mind.

Not sneaking anything 

The random spot checks dont appear to have been conducted on people, just rigs. 

[StraitRVing]

We were searched at a CBP checkpoint in Texas.  Stood off to the side of the rig with a CBP officer while the dog and other CBP officers searched the rig.  They officers were very nice and respectful.  We were randomly selected.  

[Kirk W]

59 minutes ago, palmeris said:

The random spot checks dont appear to have been conducted on people, just rigs. 

In a few cases of walking over the border crossing, I have seen people taken into a more private area for a search but never anyone that I knew. Once when walking back from Los Algodones we did see a person that we didn't know taken from the line of exiting people when a leashed dog went to alert as he walked by. I would assume that the dog was a drug dog but some also alert for explosives. The person involved appeared to be a middle aged anglo. 

Edited September 1, 2019 by Kirk W

[FL-JOE]

1 hour ago, palmeris said:

Nothing to hide.

 

Not sneaking anything 

The random spot checks dont appear to have been conducted on people, just rigs. 

I'm not saying you posted this question for anything but the fact you are curious and want to be prepared.  However, just in case you are considering slipping across with something on your person let me tell you a little story.

In the late 90's I was a K-9 Trooper.  My department was able to set up a week training arrangement with U.S. Customs on our southern border for several of us.  We flew down for a week without our dogs to work with those agents working the El Paso/Juarez border crossing and immediate area.

The very first 30 minutes of standing at the border shadowing an agent he briefly spoke with a white/male coming across in a new mini van.  He only said a couple words and directed him over to the inspection area where they immediately began taking the seat and carpet out of this van.  I asked him what made him so sure there was hidden contraband in the van and he simply said "those seats are 2 inches too high in that van".    There was over 100 kilos of cocaine under a false floor.

All week it was one seizure and arrest after another.  I witnessed enough body cavity searches to give a doctor nightmares for life.   These southern border agents were very good at what they did back then and I would have no reason to think it is different now. 

[agesilaus]

We've been stopped two or three times down south over the years. At one of those mobile check points. Never amounted to more than a couple of questions, usually where were you born and then waved thru. The same the couple of times we crossed into Nogales. Think they are checking for a US accent and for nervousness.

Coming back into the US from Banff they did look in the fiver, told us to stay in the truck. Took 10 minutes maybe and do obvious evidence of the search in the camper. The other time we came thru it was just the usual quick questions and a wave thru.

Edited September 1, 2019 by agesilaus

[Dutch_12078]

In recent years, we've had just one random secondary inspection when entering Canada. The agents were polite and even directed my wife to a grass area where she could walk our dog. I was asked to unlock our toad, but they never opened a door, just looked in the windows. I couldn't see much of the inspection in the coach, but it only took a couple of minutes, so it couldn't have been very thorough. I was surprised they never asked me to unlock the outside storage bins. There were no personal searches, just a look and scan of our NY Enhanced drivers licenses and a few questions about our destination, trip purpose, etc. Basically just the usual routine stuff. The whole thing took no more than 15-20 minutes from the time we stopped at the booth until we were on our way.

[palmeris]

Thanks for the responses  but keeping back to the original question regarding rigs and pepole, it doesn't appear that anyone has had any horror stories about personal searches , just a few rigs subjected to random casual secondary searches where they were in close proximity to their rigs and not separated from it.

[LindaH]

14 minutes ago, palmeris said:

just a few rigs subjected to random casual secondary searches where they were in close proximity to their rigs and not separated from it.

Well, if you re-read my response, above, you will see where we *were* separated from our rig that was searched.  I do not remember now whether we were directed to be inside the building or whether we stood outside, but we were not in a position to see what was happening inside the rig.

[FL-JOE]

Ok, so apparently you are a little more concerned about the possibility of a pat down or full body search.  If you do not have anything illegal on your person then I would not really worry about a border agent pulling out the plastic gloves and telling you to bend over.

However, just because it may not be common practice to witness a full body search at one of our borders doesn't mean it doesn't happen.  There could be all kinds of things that could trigger well trained border agents to take a second look at someone.  Heck, why wouldn't computer data bases used by law enforcement agencies be able to obtain intelligence from social media monitoring in today's world?  

In other words, from now on whenever you cross any of our borders a simple check of your license plate or your name may trigger a complete body search of you and all your companions/family plus a tear apart search of your RV, and all just because you were so "curious" about searches at the border on a social media site.

Good luck in your future travels.

[Ray,IN]

Back in 2008 we  wintered in the RGV, I always carried a backpack with my COPD supplies inside, also used the backpack to carry bottled water and meds we bought in MX.

Returning into TX from Progresso MX while wearing my backpack, the U.S. border patrol officer quickly grabbed me, spun me around and patted the backpack from top to bottom. He asked what I had inside so I explained, he cleared me to continue into TX, never questioning me further. Enroute to the RV we heard on the news an unattended backpack had been found at the MX end of the Progresso bridge with an apparent homemade bomb inside.

That explained everything, including the presence of MX Army troops when we entered into, and left Progresso. DW told me the troops W/ machine guns mounted on Jeeps made her nervous, I told her that was a welcome sight to me, made me feel safer.

I was just happy I wasn't body-slammed, or worse, by that border officer.

[palmeris]

2 hours ago, FL-JOE said:

Ok, so apparently you are a little more concerned about the possibility of a pat down or full body search.  If you do not have anything illegal on your person then I would not really worry about a border agent pulling out the plastic gloves and telling you to bend over.

However, just because it may not be common practice to witness a full body search at one of our borders doesn't mean it doesn't happen.  There could be all kinds of things that could trigger well trained border agents to take a second look at someone.  Heck, why wouldn't computer data bases used by law enforcement agencies be able to obtain intelligence from social media monitoring in today's world?  

In other words, from now on whenever you cross any of our borders a simple check of your license plate or your name may trigger a complete body search of you and all your companions/family plus a tear apart search of your RV, and all just because you were so "curious" about searches at the border on a social media site.

Good luck in your future travels.

Im not concerned about anything illegal, nothing to hide in that regard. Although having no need to explain my concerns to you  let me  just say that some of us are not 100% organic with special needs. 

Interesting hypothesis you have, perhaps your responses will also trigger the same profiling of everyone that's posted to this thread?   

Thanks to all that have shared their border crossing experiences without injecting biases nor passing judgments.