Stopped at the Border - They checked my phone

#21
Dyepaintball12 said:
Well I'm pretty sure you lose any search and seizure rights at the border because they need to have authority to check everything you have for drugs. I would imagine even saying the word "lawyer" would make them very upset, something I would not want to do.

I actually went back to Windsor two days later, the tunnel this time, and again was sent to immigration. The tunnel is much easier and they just have you stand in front of your car, spend about 1 minute searching your car, and then you can leave. At the bridge on both the US and Canadian side they question you and then you have to go into the building and talk to an agent.

I learned never to bring lots of money with me because they really don't like a young kid who is essentially unemployed having that much money.
They could not care less about a lawyer. Federal agents have their own little fiefdoms and are essentially untouchable unless you can prove they did something both illegal and politically incorrect. Thus if you are a white male, nothing they can do to you is politically incorrect, so best move is to say as little as possible and for God's sake make sure you are totally clean before you get to the border.

There are places where they will do things like vacuum the car's carpet looking for marijuana ash, and if they find any you will lose your car and your money. Forfeiture. Even if you have never used anything in your car, you might be better off renting a car for trips to Canada because such evidence would never hold up in a court if taken from a rental car. If you play in Canada a lot it's probably worth it to open a bank account there and leave at least a playing stake in it so you are carrying nothing across the border.
 

Brock Windsor

Well-Known Member
#22
FYI. Casino chips are not considered monetary instruments at Canada Customs (at least that's the legislation they spent 20minutes looking up last time I went over with chips). So saying NTD should be valid even if you are over in chips. Don't lie or anything, but they can't convict you for failure to declare if all you had was chips over 10k.
-BW
 

The Chaperone

Well-Known Member
#23
My policy is to never mention gambling. I lie if they ask about my profession. I have just had way too many issues with it to keep falling into the same trap.

I typically have more trouble re-entering the US than I do going into Canada. One time I was questioned for 2 hours in Portland, ME (took the boat from NS). They photocopied front and back of everything in my wallet. This included many credit/debit cards and a little sheet of paper with encrypted passwords. They threatened to search my laptop, but did not go that far.
 

21forme

Well-Known Member
#26
The Chaperone said:
I typically have more trouble re-entering the US than I do going into Canada. One time I was questioned for 2 hours in Portland, ME (took the boat from NS). They photocopied front and back of everything in my wallet. This included many credit/debit cards and a little sheet of paper with encrypted passwords. They threatened to search my laptop, but did not go that far.
Why? You're not that shifty looking :)
 

Dyepaintball12

Well-Known Member
#27
Yeah most of the hassle comes from re-entering the US and I usually never get sent to Canadian customs, but I guess I got unlucky my last 2 trips.

One major reason they question young people on the way back from Canada is because Toronto is a hot spot for fake IDs.

If you are young and actually did go to Toronto, just say you were somewhere else or else you are in for it.

When I was searched a couple times ago coming back into the U.S., I handed the agent the card I was given at the booth that clearly said I was coming back from Casino Windsor and the guy says, "Why were you in Toronto?".
 
#28
Dyepaintball12 said:
Yeah most of the hassle comes from re-entering the US and I usually never get sent to Canadian customs, but I guess I got unlucky my last 2 trips.

One major reason they question young people on the way back from Canada is because Toronto is a hot spot for fake IDs.

If you are young and actually did go to Toronto, just say you were somewhere else or else you are in for it.

When I was searched a couple times ago coming back into the U.S., I handed the agent the card I was given at the booth that clearly said I was coming back from Casino Windsor and the guy says, "Why were you in Toronto?".
A better question is if he sees your passport, sees you are over 21 and an American citizen, why would he or anyone care if you got a fake ID in Toronto? Once he sees you are an American, his responsibility is to see you are not carrying contraband and are paying duty on any imports. At that point his job is done.
 

Tree

Well-Known Member
#29
I have yet to cross the border since 2000, this makes me feel better that my future father in law is a big name lawyer in Windsor...
 

sagefr0g

Well-Known Member
#30
The Michigan chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union is questioning the Michigan State Police's use of cellphone "extraction" devices.
Specifically, the group claims that law enforcement is clandestinely using portable devices to secretly extract personal information from cell phones during routine stops. The devices (pictured, left) are sold by a company called Cellebrite and facilitate the downloading of text messages, photos, video, and even GPS data from mobile phones. The handheld machines use various codes to work with different models and can be programmed to even bypass security passwords in order to access the desired personal information stored on the cell phone....

http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnew...edly-extracting-personal-info-from-cellphones
:rolleyes:
 

Pelerus

Well-Known Member
#31
Dyepaintball12 said:
I learned never to bring lots of money with me because they really don't like a young kid who is essentially unemployed having that much money.
Do you go to Canada for the casinos? If so, how do you avoid carrying cash? Traveler's Checks or some other method?

Automatic Monkey said:
They hassle me. Comes from a felony weapons charge I had when I was young, of which I was acquitted but those charges stay on your FBI file for life, and the Canadians are sensitive about weapons. So I not only get examined, I get treated as if I might be dangerous.
Is your avatar a picture of the incident in question? :grin:
 

Dyepaintball12

Well-Known Member
#32
I always cross the border to go to Casino Windsor, but I never carry much cash because I am only going to cash in on the large amount of offers they give me.

One time I went to hit a 10x Points promo and had $6,000 on me, but that's one of the times I wasn't hassled! lol
 
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