$20K win seized due to failure to file customs form at border
- Thread starter KenSmith
- Start date
zengrifter
Banned
Dumb Jamokes. zg
creeping panther
Banned
Border
It is this type of problem that has hurt the business at Windsor Casino,,,the border crossing can be a major hassle, even when you follow the "Law".
On a recent visit after crossing back to the US I and my playing partner, a dark "Breed", were chosen for a search, I had $6,400 in my back jean pocket, my partner had $6,800 in 2 pockets, the young punk border guards sporting their Glocks seemed shocked at the money we were carrying in our jean pockets,,,their eyes were as big as saucers. I feared that we were going to lose the money to these aholes as we were under intense questioning. I believe what saved the day was our slug of players cards and game documentation manuals we had in a sachel that proved we were really "players" at the casino.
Thank the Great Spirit we did not have fake id or cards in others names.
Great country we live in when you have to fear carrying legal money outside it's border.
CP
It is this type of problem that has hurt the business at Windsor Casino,,,the border crossing can be a major hassle, even when you follow the "Law".
On a recent visit after crossing back to the US I and my playing partner, a dark "Breed", were chosen for a search, I had $6,400 in my back jean pocket, my partner had $6,800 in 2 pockets, the young punk border guards sporting their Glocks seemed shocked at the money we were carrying in our jean pockets,,,their eyes were as big as saucers. I feared that we were going to lose the money to these aholes as we were under intense questioning. I believe what saved the day was our slug of players cards and game documentation manuals we had in a sachel that proved we were really "players" at the casino.
Thank the Great Spirit we did not have fake id or cards in others names.
Great country we live in when you have to fear carrying legal money outside it's border.
CP
Liquid Chips
Well-Known Member
If you are sitting in your car going back into Detroit, how are guards going to know that you have $15,000 instead of $3,000 that you declared? Do they search everyone who crosses the border?
You may just be unlucky.
I was on a bus from Canada to the US over a decade ago - and they must've gotten some tip-off about a shipment being couriered over - we all got off the bus and our luggage was opened and searched piece by piece (up to feeling the teddy bear for suspicious lumps, etc.)
We were unlucky - 2 bottles of Cuban rum, 60 Cuban cigars and a bottle of Cuban suntan lotion. These guys were figuring out how to line themselves up for the local paper's photo spread on "subversive material seized at border"...
I was on a bus from Canada to the US over a decade ago - and they must've gotten some tip-off about a shipment being couriered over - we all got off the bus and our luggage was opened and searched piece by piece (up to feeling the teddy bear for suspicious lumps, etc.)
We were unlucky - 2 bottles of Cuban rum, 60 Cuban cigars and a bottle of Cuban suntan lotion. These guys were figuring out how to line themselves up for the local paper's photo spread on "subversive material seized at border"...
Liquid Chips said:
creeping panther
Banned
border
Just figure you will be pulled over and searched,,,that is why we for sure limited the money we were carrying.
CP
They asked how much money we had, we were not sure so they pulled us in,,,also I feel my partners race had something to do with it.Liquid Chips said:
Just figure you will be pulled over and searched,,,that is why we for sure limited the money we were carrying.
CP
SystemsTrader
Well-Known Member
I too have been pulled over, detained, searched and grilled with many personal questions on many occassions. Simply carrying anything 4 figures and above raises suspicion with border guards and they automatically assume you are up to no good. I suppose this is just how they are trained to do their job. They certainly make you feel like you are some kind of criminal. They once found a document in my luggage with my name spelled incorrectly from my passport. An obvious spelling error they made such a big production over it, it was rediculous.creeping panther said:
I also have a friend, brown skined with an accent who goes through a lot of hell crossing the border. They definitely do racial profiling.
mathman
Well-Known Member
Same here.
In the early 2000's my partner and I decided to go to Detroit to see what it was like. During that time we were traveling and playing quite a bit but had never visited Detroit. We crossed Ontario through Western New York to save time as that route is shorter. At the booth in Detroit we were asked where we were going and we answered honestly that we were going to visit the casino's in Detroit. We were immediately harassed and asked repeatedly why we would travel to Detroit when there were casino's in Western New York and Ontario. We answered that we travel allot and like to go to new venues. We were sent to inspection and questioned up and down about the same thing and then accused of having the amount of money we had to buy drugs or firearms. I don't remember the exact amount we had but it would have been well over "the typical amount" between the two of us back then. We were detained for around 2 hours and made to feel like criminals while our persons and vehicle were thoroughly searched. We were clean cut, well dressed and driving a fairly new, nondescript vehicle giving them no reason to doubt our story. All I can say is it really was bad. Being harassed like that by your own country was really something. I will never take the short cut to Detroit again...JtMM
In the early 2000's my partner and I decided to go to Detroit to see what it was like. During that time we were traveling and playing quite a bit but had never visited Detroit. We crossed Ontario through Western New York to save time as that route is shorter. At the booth in Detroit we were asked where we were going and we answered honestly that we were going to visit the casino's in Detroit. We were immediately harassed and asked repeatedly why we would travel to Detroit when there were casino's in Western New York and Ontario. We answered that we travel allot and like to go to new venues. We were sent to inspection and questioned up and down about the same thing and then accused of having the amount of money we had to buy drugs or firearms. I don't remember the exact amount we had but it would have been well over "the typical amount" between the two of us back then. We were detained for around 2 hours and made to feel like criminals while our persons and vehicle were thoroughly searched. We were clean cut, well dressed and driving a fairly new, nondescript vehicle giving them no reason to doubt our story. All I can say is it really was bad. Being harassed like that by your own country was really something. I will never take the short cut to Detroit again...JtMM
About 10 years ago my partner and I won $74K at the Casino Windsor & got backroomed, photographed, and barred. So far, nothing really all that surprising. Then; we didn't want to cross the border carrying all that money, so we handed it to a friend of ours who lives in Windsor.Liquid Chips said:
When we got to the border, we were detained, searched, and questioned for five hours by U.S. Customs. Finally, one of the agents slipped up and admitted that the casino had called them with our names and descriptions to warn them that we would be attempting to smuggle $74,000 across the border. All I can say is; it's a dammm good thing we had the foresight to hand off that money to our friend!
Liquid Chips
Well-Known Member
Can US citizens open a bank account with the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)? RBC has branches in the US too. Assuming RBC has Windsor branches, why not just deposit the money in RBC and transfer it to the US branch once back into US?
Liquid Chips said:
You can deposit money in almost any bank and transfer it to your own account. Use the ATM, only deposit the money instead of taking a withdrawl. If you can get money from the ATM, you most likely will be able to deposit in it. Only drawback is it can take a week to get credited to your account. You could open an account in Canada and transfer the money to your own bank.
Automatic Monkey
Banned
Yes. Opening a bank account in Canada isn't quite as convenient as in the US, but it's probably a good idea for someone who plays regularly in Canada, just as having a US bank account is good for a Canadian who plays in the US.Liquid Chips said:
Regarding the searching and abuse at Customs, when I was young I was arrested for a felony that involved weapons and even though the charges were dropped, the arrest remains on my record and I am treated as if I was a Zapatista with a Gatling gun from an old Western whenever I have contact with authorities who pull my FBI file. Even in a few minor driving-related arrests I've had, I am swarmed by police, multiple pairs of handcuffs, chained to a bench in a holding cell, etc., and I am totally non-belligerent with the police. Once they get this opinion of you, it's going to follow you around for the rest of your life.
One of my best friends was recently going on a Canadian fishing trip. At the border crossing they brought up a settled 15 year old DUI he had here in the states and tried to use that as justification for extorting (I think 2 or 3 hundred dollars) from him for entrance.
He rightly told them to put it "where the moon don't shine" and did his fishing in Minnesota.
BillyC1
He rightly told them to put it "where the moon don't shine" and did his fishing in Minnesota.
BillyC1
creeping panther
Banned
Sucker
I knew they were capable of that, nasty thing to happen.
CP
Congrats on a big hit!Sucker said:
I knew they were capable of that, nasty thing to happen.
CP
Brock Windsor
Well-Known Member
I have bank accounts on both sides to avoid crossing with more than 10K. A customs guy I know said they consider casino chips as 'monetary instruments' so don't try and cross that way. Even if you have cheques for that amount they can be seized. IF you need more than 10k to cross you can pre fill the currency forms. If you give them the form with your passport when you cross I would think it less likely you get a lengthy delay. Your experience will vary greatly depending on the first agent you see, some are friendly and promote cross border commerce, some think they are militant heroes stopping you from invading their county.
-BW
-BW
Automatic Monkey
Banned
Yes, I like the way Canadian customs thinks they are protecting their country against that cheap American labor.Brock Windsor said:
And God knows, those American criminals! Never mind that some of our radicals they invited in back in the 60's and early 70's as an anti-war statement were as dangerous as anyone you will find in the US today.
In my understanding if they just find cash you probably won't lose it, but if they find anything else that they could construe as a link to drug trafficking or money laundering, you will lose it. This would include a fake ID.
1357111317
Well-Known Member
Word of warning to anyone who is going across the border with 8-9.999k. If you are close to the 10k just try and declare it anyways or else the guards will think you are hiding something. If there is two of you who both have just under 10k I actually suggest taking out some money or something so one of you hits 10k and has to declare it. This way you won't be accused to structuring to avoid the 10k mark.