## Important Update ## Baccy Mini-Cruise 15th Oct

UKBA Deck 5 Pride of Bruges 1st Oct 2011
One of our friends on Facebook has just returned from Zeebrugge to Hull on P&O Ferries. He has informed us that according to some of the crew on the P&O ferry, the UKBA intend to blitz the route from Oct 1st when the new guidelines of 1kg tobacco and 800 cigarettes come in.This blitz will supposedly continue for the whole month.

This will be bad news for the legitimate cross-border shopper who is unprepared for the tactics they will face if stopped by the UKBA.

The UKBA hype will tell you that they are targeting smugglers but  this is a complete fallacy. Mr Smuggler is already exceeding the guidelines that are in place now of 3kg tobacco and 3200 cigarettes so these new lower guidelines will mean what to him? Errr, he's exceeding the guidelines ... duh!

Mr Smuggler is also prepared to lose shipments, it's part and parcel of his business. Not for him is the interview interrogation. He (or his underlings) will leave the goods  and just walk away when UKBA say "You are not under arrest and can leave at anytime". Mr Smuggler wants as little contact with the UKBA as possible. He'll be back tomorrow or the next day/week ... he remains in profit.

However if an unprepared, trusting legitimate shopper gets stopped by the UKBA, the odds are they will lose their goods because they said the wrong thing in the interrogation ... and be out of pocket ... and be condemned as a smuggler. This suits the UKBA because they can then crow about all the smugglers they've intercepted because they know that virtually none of their victims will appeal against the seizure. Job done!

ln the meantime, Mr Smuggler will have a load more new customers ... all these legitimate cross-border shoppers who are now too frightened to shop abroad for their tobacco/cigarettes.

UKBA kid themselves they've won, Mr Smuggler on the other hand has definitely won.

So, to all those coming on the mini-cruise ... please be prepared, We, ourselves, are very happy that UKBA could be planning to be there in force. lt's exactly what we want and look forward to ... we have some plans of our own. Maybe some of you intend to make a statement yourselves or maybe you are there just for the jolly .... we don't know. All of you have booked independently and have no links to us so you can decide yourself how to proceed. We are not asking you to do what we do ... you can just be sightseers if you wish, it's totally up to you.

Join us onboard where we'll have a drink or two or three whilst we all share our thoughts, experiences and knowledge. Looking forward to it immensely.

Anyone else wishing to join us can still book as tickets are still available.

See you onboard!      

8 comments:

  1. Eh? ... why am l getting loads and loads of visitors from here?

    http://ebookseeking.blogspot.com

    l haven't wrote a book! ... maybe l should :)

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  2. Hmmm could see that one coming a mile away. I bet they have been wetting themselves in anticipation of the new guidelines. Bonuses in time for Christmas?
    Of course they may also have got wind of a little baccy cruise lol

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  3. They've heard about the cruise? How? Who? When? ... oh, woe is me! :)

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  4. OHHH YESSSS a fight luvverly jubberrrrly!!!!, barring accident or seriously disabling disease or injury (hold on the disease bit might be a good idea anyway) will be joining you for that drinky...bwahahahahaaaaa they don't know what they are taking on, for I am really ticked off and rarin for a legal set to...bring it on UKBATWATS!

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  5. Can I make a suggestion. Why don't you fly-post or seed the ferry with anonymous instruction leaflets warning ordinary folks about the UKBA tactics and telling them how to deal with it? You will almost certainly be helping somebody out and you'll certainly get some publicity and piss off UKBA. Plus with careful wording, just the facts, no incitement, and peel-off adhesive you are doing nothing wrong worse than littering.

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  6. I know this post has cooled off a bit now, but.

    If UKBA are planning to go for this big time, won't they be in breach(again) of the Hoverspeed High Court Action...which they lost?
    http://www.marinelink.com/news/article/sea-containers-hoverspeed-subsidiary-wins-high/317859.aspx

    ReplyDelete

"In the eyes of the Tribunal the review letter contained several preconceptions, prejudgments and non-sequiturs"

"the absurdity of this reason is demonstrated by simply stating it"

"We therefore find that Mr Sked misdirected himself as to the Policy in carrying out the review and his decision is therefore one that no reasonable review officer could have arrived at."

... commonly known here at N2D as 'Skeds' ... that is to say these are Judges comments regarding UKBA Review Officer Ian Sked's reasons for rejecting peoples appeals against seizures.

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