Over your allowance?

[dee-dee]

Just wanted to let you know,we arrived back from Fuerte on Sunday morning 1am ish at Gatwick
and they were stopping loads of people at Customs 
They picked us out,asked us loads of questions,made us unpack our cases....we weren`t over our limit so
wasn`t worried but its just a pain at like 2am 
Usually at that time we walk right through because its deserted...you have been warned   

[raye]

Had the same at Manchester a few weeks back, didn't get stopped, but there were at least 6 customs officers at 1pm in the morning when usually there are none!!

[KWC]

Coming back from the Carribean a few years ago we met up with some other Scottish holiday makers, who went to great length to say that over the years they have been travelling there, that  they have never ever been stopped. Especially when arriving at 2am.

Although we didn't go daft, we did load up on the drinks and cigars, only to be all lined up against a wall at Glasgow Airport by what seemed like evey customs officer employed in scotland, and a sniffer dog -  err sniffing us up and down (don't you just hate it when they stop and sniff yer goolies )

We were one of the first pulled, and after lining a few extra bottles and a few packets of cigars onto the table, feeling like we robbed the crown jewels the grumpy old man let us off with a slap on the back of the hands.

Never take as much as a part used cigar nowadays. crikey that for an experience and I guess I would never make a drug mule, as I would collapse waiting for my bags 

[jg]

Just remember that when there are no customs men in the customs area there will be one of two in mufti mingling among the drivers and other people outside the doors.
They pick up more people that way than they do inside the customs area.
You aren't clear until you are in the car/bus/train - ane even then they have rummage powers.

[Brightspark]

Just wanted to let you know,we arrived back from Fuerte on Sunday morning 1am ish at Gatwick
and they were stopping loads of people at Customs 
They picked us out,asked us loads of questions,made us unpack our cases....we weren`t over our limit so
wasn`t worried but its just a pain at like 2am 
Usually at that time we walk right through because its deserted...you have been warned   

Maybe they thought you had a baby in your case or something 

[dee-dee]

Just wanted to let you know,we arrived back from Fuerte on Sunday morning 1am ish at Gatwick
and they were stopping loads of people at Customs 
They picked us out,asked us loads of questions,made us unpack our cases....we weren`t over our limit so
wasn`t worried but its just a pain at like 2am 
Usually at that time we walk right through because its deserted...you have been warned   

Maybe they thought you had a baby in your case or something 

Nice one Barry..think it was Glen looking dodgy 

[peggy]

We to got stopped at Manchester and had HALF a bottle of Ron Meil over the limit. We were taken aside and read the riot act and charged £8. Felt like we had commited a murder. Needless to say we have learned our lesson.

[Spike On Q]

We were checked by Customs at East Midlands a couple of weeks ago too - first time EVER in the UK

Probably a security check for incoming travelers for the Olympics as they only scanned the cases through the X Ray machine [so far so good at the Olympics - must be a major target!]

Remember we are at war, our lads are being killed almost daily, so a bit of disruption to our daily lives bares no comparison!

Stick to the rules and have a nice quiet life with no worries

[woe10]

They´re clamping down on the Ciggie Runs. You have been warned.

[glenys]

I agree Spike,a little bit of inconvenience is nothing compared to what could happen.

[Voldermort]

They have targetted Canary Islands flights for years now, just every so often they descend and have a major check so word gets out. Also its a lot easier targetting these flights if they arrived late at night pretty much on their own without other EU flights at the same time..thats when it gets difficult

[fifi]

I seem to be stopped a lot in Dublin.  Maybe it is because I travel on my own. In May a sea of people decided to just avoid the two lanes completely and walk out another way. A little man chased after us telling us we had to choose one. No one paid any heed and we carried on into Arrivals.

[Spike On Q]

You do look a bit shifty Fifi!!!

[fifi]

Ooooh is that it Paul. I do appreciate your honesty. You are a true friend to me.

Time for a make over.  

[Elite of the forum]

Get all you deserve anyone who breaks the law gets the punishment ,I've never been over the limit  ( especially them from Essex)

[dee-dee]

,I've never been over the limit

I don`t believe that for a second   

[Elite of the forum]

Dee I'm hurt 

[dee-dee]

Dee I'm hurt 

[fifi]

Bet he is feeling better now Dee.

[Can the Man]

I seem to be stopped a lot in Dublin.  Maybe it is because I travel on my own. In May a sea of people decided to just avoid the two lanes completely and walk out another way. A little man chased after us telling us we had to choose one. No one paid any heed and we carried on into Arrivals.

Hi Fifi,

We are all profiled by the C&E, especially when you travel on a regular basis to the Carary Islands as we do. They are really after the ciggy guys with the suit cases full, but they will often pull in a regular just to check them out.

I have been stopped more frequently in the last 2 years, they generally ask, where am I coming from, have I any cigarettes, I always say yes, when they ask how many I say 200 or 400 depending on what I have and there never seems to be an issue. They never ask about booze, or perfume/aftershave.

They do know who they are after, if there is check in luggage it will have been scanned and identified by them, I have seen people pulled in at Dublin airport and cases full of ciggys.

They also know the names and identies of the hand luggage only passangers and who will have the carry on full of ciggys.

Stick to the rules, and maybe try an extra packet evey now and then, but always be honest if your stopped,

[potash]

You are going to lose all the extra plus your allowance at Birmingham your luggage goes through a  x-ray machine before your luggage gets on the belt the last twice they have put our hand luggage only  through the x-ray as well. East mids are on the ball to.It just used to be the Ryanair flights they targeted but now they are on duty for the late  night arrival flights.  Do not think for a minute its those two airports that has increased  Security blame  the greedy bu--ers that fill a case that has  ruined it for every one.

[fifi]

I seem to be stopped a lot in Dublin.  Maybe it is because I travel on my own. In May a sea of people decided to just avoid the two lanes completely and walk out another way. A little man chased after us telling us we had to choose one. No one paid any heed and we carried on into Arrivals.

Hi Fifi,

We are all profiled by the C&E, especially when you travel on a regular basis to the Carary Islands as we do. They are really after the ciggy guys with the suit cases full, but they will often pull in a regular just to check them out.

I have been stopped more frequently in the last 2 years, they generally ask, where am I coming from, have I any cigarettes, I always say yes, when they ask how many I say 200 or 400 depending on what I have and there never seems to be an issue. They never ask about booze, or perfume/aftershave.

They do know who they are after, if there is check in luggage it will have been scanned and identified by them, I have seen people pulled in at Dublin airport and cases full of ciggys.

They also know the names and identies of the hand luggage only passangers and who will have the carry on full of ciggys.

Stick to the rules, and maybe try an extra packet evey now and then, but always be honest if your stopped,

I saw someone with nothing but Cigarettes in his bag being stopped recently. Like you say they did seem to know who they were looking for. Not sure I like the idea of being on their Profile list. I am not a big offender but do sneak the odd box over the limit back from my Brother. In July I broke the cartons up and scattered the boxes around the bag but was still stopped and asked if I had cigarettes and I admitted being over the limit but was waived through.  I will probably be on their hit list next month because of that so maybe I wont try it.


That sounds very strict in Birmingham John. I wonder what happens to all of the ones that are confiscated?