$500 apple

[tmark]

Inside Edition featured an interesting catch 22 story. A woman on a return flight to the United States from France was given an apple by the airline attendant while enroute to the U.S. She didn't take a bite of it but put in in her carry bag (carry on?).

At the US airport customs randomly chose her to check her luggage. They found the apple. The customs agent asked her if the trip to France was expensive. She replied "yes".

The agent informed her the trip would become more expensive. She asked what he meant.

He said she violated the customs rule of not bringing any animal, plant, or food item from another country into the US because of the possibility of introducing an agricultural pest into the US.

She told the agent the airline attendant gave her the apple and she had the apple in the airline container. She further informed the agent she would eat the apple now or throw it away. He remained indifferent.

Consequently, she was fined $500 which the agent wanted immediately. She refused to hand over the money and vowed to fight the penalty.

Hopefully, we will be informed of what happens. I wish her the best.

[togor]

CBP guys known for having an attitude. Even when wholly unnecessary. Before the kiosks, when you had to fill out those declaration forms (handed out on the plane), I committed the grievous offense of doing it in pencil. Never mind that this was neither the first or last time I had done so. This particular agent, as a way of demonstrating his full value to the taxpayers, had me step out of line so I could redo it in pen. They know they are kings of that domain and for some of them it goes to their head. As a US citizen you play along because otherwise they'll blow your connection for you, but still you go "WTF?" sometimes.

[Ken The Kanuck]

Some of the rules are crazy, crossing the border with our trailer we had the border guard find a tomato, he said if we cut it up it was fine to bring across the border but if it is whole they would have to confiscate it. Go figure.

KTK

[bruce]

Once upon a time I went up to New York to conduct a series of revival services for a church in Chateaugay, NY. I flew in and out of Montreal. Landing was no problem. All went fine. Leaving was not so good. I had a little Buck pen knife in my pocket. The nice lady with the metal detector wand objected to my little knife. Problem was she was talking French and of course that made no sense to me given I am not conversant in French. She put my little knife in a tray and called it contraband. I got that word. I picked it up and asked her, "Contraband?" She smiled and nodded in agreement. So, I threw that little knife over to the Delta desk where my bag were ... on the US side of that yellow/black line on the floor telling them, "Ya'll put that in my bag. They say it's contraband!" You'd have thought it was the apocalypse! Two fellows with police type hats walked over talking French all excited. She got excited. I ... I just kept telling them I needed to get on my plane so I could get back home. Gradually they all calmed down. Like I told them, I'd had the knife in my pocket when I came through the first time... couldn't see why it was any big deal now that I was going through the second time. Lots of people were having problems that day with stuff they were not legally supposed to bring through. Maybe they should have tossed it to their airline people? Don't know. Do know that dealing with those folks on that side of the yellow/black line was about as much trouble as trying to order breakfast at the restaurant where the menu was in French. Had to just point at the pictures to get everything done. Lots of fun! Lots of fun! Sincerely. bruce.

[JB White]

Tomato? That's not even apples to oranges! :)

Most border guys are OK so long as it's something simple. They even let me cross with too much tobacco one time. Asked if it was for personal use. No problem. Came the other way with some Canadian whiskey. Same thing.

Then there was the time they pulled the boat apart at Intl. Falls......

[dryheat]

Those French.