- " .... senior Customs staff agreed the terms of operational guidance which was sent to all senior managers, operational managers and senior officers of all teams in “South East England Collection”. They issued a single page document headed “Cross Channel Strategy …. Guidance to Efficient and Effective Handling of Excise Suspects …. To Be Adopted By All Multifunctional Anti Smuggling Teams”. This Guidance consisted of seven bullet points, in block capitals, as follows:
- “ZERO TOLERANCE
- NOTICE 1s ISSUED. IN ALL CASES WHEN EXCISE GOODS ARE ABOVE THE GUIDANCE LEVELS AND NOT SEIZED
- NED’s MUST BE COMPLETED WHEN NOTICE 1’s HAVE BEEN ISSUED INCLUDING NAME, ADDRESS AND DOB
- WHEN SUSPECTS HAVE HAD NOTICE 1 ISSUED BEFORE, THE ASSUMPTION MUST BE SEIZURE NOT SIMPLY ISSUING ANOTHER NOTICE 1
- THE OBJECTIVE IN ANY INTERCEPTION IS TO SEIZE GOODS IN EXCESS OF THE MILS. OFFICERS SHOULD ALWAYS LOOK FOR REASONS FOR SEIZING, NOT SIMPLY ISSUING A NOTICE 1
- WHEN A-J INTERVIEWS ARE CONDUCTED THE EXPECTATION IS THAT A SEIZURE WILL BE MADE
- FOR GOODS IN EXCESS OF THE MILS SEIZURES SHOULD ALWAYS BE MADE WHEN SUSPECTS HAVE HAD EXCISE GOODS SEIZED BEFORE.”
FFS people, stop going UNPREPARED! If you go unprepared you may as well have a sign on your forehead saying 'PLEASE ROB ME!'
The UKBA want you to trust them and go unprepared.
A Jewish friend of mine says that 'trust me' in Jewish means 'FUCK YOU' !!!!!
(rant over ... sort of)
"NED’s MUST BE COMPLETED WHEN NOTICE 1’s HAVE BEEN ISSUED INCLUDING NAME, ADDRESS AND DOB "
ReplyDeleteThis is the really interesting one. As I keep saying: 'Procedure, Procedure, PROCEDURE'.
"Sorry Officer, I can't sign this as it doesn't conform to XYZ, please call a supervisor so I can complain about your issuing substandard etc etc"
I'd love to hear from tovaritch Wiggs on this.
Quite laughable really. Notice 1 is just a bloody leaflet that you can pickup at airports and ferries (well maybe not the ferrie because me and Zaphod made them take them off because they were out of date and wrong. Went on ferries about 8 months later and they hadn't replaced them)
ReplyDeleteIt's here if anyone is interested http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/downloadFile?contentID=HMCE_CL_001734
“NEDS” is a database of travellers who are stopped and examined. (<<< hit and miss at best of times. Sure they've had my passport but never had my address)
Thanks for the warning.
ReplyDeleteSurely these 'guidelines' of 800 cigs are just a guideline ?
How can a person prove that cigs are for their own use when they genuinely are ?
I go to Belgium once a year for the WW1 remembrance day on 11th November and always bring back one years supply of cigarettes for my own use. Will I now get the taken from me ?
This is not right, but how on earth can I stand and argue without either getting my goods taken or being charged more tax.
I am 78 and haven't got the confidence to stand and argue with bullying customs officers.
Anon 15.02 ... take someone with you who will stand up to them. Hell, if you are going on Hull PO Ferries ... l'll go. Just give us the dates you are travelling out and coming back by e-mail. l'd prob tempt Zaphod to come too ... he has been known to stand up to UKBA before, l think. :)
ReplyDeleteyou can lead a horse to water SH but you cant make it drink
ReplyDelete@ our 78 yr old Anon
ReplyDeletePreparation is the key. Prove when you travelled last and how much you brought back, have proof of how much you smoke a day, have proof of income (cos they'll say that on a state pension you can't afford to shop abroad), know the law and what questions they are going to ask you.
I'm preparing now for my own trip next month...infact I started the paperwork weeks ago.
Read and reread all SH's tips, learn from a master craftsman.
RECORD it all and if they do seize your goods then get hold of SH or Mrs Wiggs.
PS @ Anon 78 yrs.
ReplyDeleteIF they do seize your goods then for fucks sake do us ALL a favour and go to the press. Phone, god help me, The SUPER SOAR AWAY SUN and FOREST.
OR even *rinses own mouth out with bleach* the Daily Mail. This is the sort of poppy clad sheeple wet dream story they love: 78 YEAR OLD HERO HAS GOODS SEIZED AFTER ARMISTICE TRIP!! SAYS 'I GAVE MY YOUTH TO FIGHT SUCH FASCISM'
With any luck they'll seize your disability scooter as well.
Pleased to report that staff in Prague Airport duty free are advising shoppers that they are entitled to 16 sleeves of ready made cigs. OK, we know it's more than that in reality, but many won't so it was good to see.
ReplyDeleteThey seal them in see-through bags with a tamper warning, mind!
wv: anticon - how apt. :)
Thats fine DP but theyll prob change it to 4 sleeves when UKBA change the guidelines. Back to square one again.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks Smoking Hot and Shinar's Basket Case.
ReplyDeleteI am down in Kent and therefore Dover is my local port. Thank you for the offer of accompanying me.
At 78 I am not quite old enough to be a 'hero' although I was playing in the streets in the East End of London's dock area while the bombs were falling !!!
I shall not be intimidated and have recently started making my own ciggies using FLANDRIA VIRGINIA that is £ 3-45 for a 50GR pouch that I have been bought as a gift from my Brother recently.
I have worked out that as I smoke around 20 a day, I use one pouch of 50gr tobacco every 3 days and therefore will buy 120 50gr pouches at a cost of £414.
As I only go to Belgium once a year it is not unreasonable that I save £8.00 per week between trips.
I am not sure how to 'prove' that I smoke this amount ??
Regarding the question of income...I shall state that I save £8 per week from my pension for a year.
I am now looking forward to November as I feel confident enough to tackle these bullies.
Thanks again for the confidence boost !!!
Anon @ 22:30: The advice wasn't given to me but to someone who I couldn't say for certain was British. Perhaps SH could tell us if the guidelines are currently UK-specific or if it is a general EU member thing.
ReplyDeleteWhat, to clarify, are the guidelines advised to the citizens of other EU member states?
@ ANON
ReplyDeleteAs to the 'hero' bit I'm afraid my math is THAT bad.
Anyways
Not just 'state that I save £8 a week' but show them the book/statement/whatever if possible.
As proving the amount you smoke that's difficult. Personally I'm going with a doctors letter, the state of my fingers and teeth and receipts for a fortnight's UK Duty Paid ciggys. It galls me to have to pay brit prices even for a fortnight but the receipts prove that I have bought 2-3 packs a day so it's an investment....as is the £25 for a doctor's letter stating 'I see no reason to dispute MR SBC's claim that he smokes 60 a day'....or whatever it is in 'medicals'.
Hi Dick ... the EU Airport shops set their guidelines by whatever the UK sets it's guidelines at. Not all EU countries do this, l know Poland certainly doesn't. l don't know about other countries actual guidelines because most of them are so much cheaper than UK why would anyone bring cigarettes/tobacco in? :)
ReplyDeleteAnon 23.24 ... save all your empty pouches and take them with you. Repeat the next year and so on. For the missing months this past year get them off your brother/mates.
lf you are saving £8 per week for the trip and it's not in a bank get someone to sign a statement saying that you give them £8 a week to save for you. You get sweet fa in bank savings accounts anyway. My father always stashed money at home ...and many others do too. Banks are no longer trusted anyway.
Rest of the info is on the site but if you think you need any other info just e-mail me.