I meant the officer

I know the plan started quite a few years ago, and Google says it dates back to 2006, with the actual carrying of firearms since 2007. I am under the impression that the CBSA officers at Peace Arch were one of the first/earlier groups to start carrying guns, but I am not 100% certain about that.

But I'm surprised they seem so startled by T4RAWR. After all, T4RAWR was already complying with their orders. Do they really need to make the situation so tense for everyone involved?

Man, some of you are terrible at this. I haven't gotten taxed or even had my trunk popped in close to 8 years. Full disclosure, I got caught cheating once back in 2005 so thinking that I would be "in the system" for years to come and hassled to oblivion but that just isn't the case. I didn't shop down there for a couple months thinking that that's what would happen but then I gave it a try again and I've been getting stuff shipped to Point Roberts regularly for years to the point where I buy very, very few things here in Canada. Most of it is camera gear, which they can't charge duty on but they can and do tax. I've been truthful most of the time as well. I've driven my black Mazda 3 with REVscene stickers and I've driven a Mercedes E-Class and a Dodge Caravan. No difference at any time.

They are trained to look for signs of nervousness. The more you talk or do things out of the ordinary, the more suspicious you look.

Some tips:

1. Keep your answers short and to the point. Where do I live? Richmond. What am I doing? Picking up a package. What is it? Camera equipment. Don't joke around. I'm naturally very talkative and jokey so I have to turn it down.

2. Follow the street signs. Stop at the fucking stop sign. So many people don't understand that stop sign. Don't gun it to the window. If your car is fucking loud, reign that shit in for 10 seconds. You want to look as boring as possible. Do not change lanes unless one is being unbearably slow.

3. I always try to look as indifferent as possible, like this is routine and I couldn't be bothered to put on a smile for you, asshole border guard. The more bored I look, the more boring they think I am and I couldn't possibly be a terrorist. Of course, that doesn't mean look stiff. I put on the same face if I had to watch cricket or baseball or sit through a Celine Dion concert.

4. This might sound racist but if you don't speak absolutely fucking perfect English, learn. They racial profile like crazy...not because they're being racist but there are plenty of Asians that go down, pick shit up and don't know the rules. It happens a lot.

5. In the event that you do decide you don't want to be entirely honest, DECLARE SOMETHING. Don't go and say you didn't pick anything up. That's all Point Roberts is for...picking shit up. Not picking anything up looks suspicious as hell. So tack on a $25 purchase that "you could only find in the States" and fill up the tank, buy some chocolate milk.

And I've gotten that middle aged Asian guy many times. He's never hassled me. The younger Asian dude checked out the waterproof hardcase trunk I bought to house my camera gear for a bit...not because he wanted to tax me but because he wanted to see how many of his handguns he could store inside and thanked me for letting him know where he could find it for $50 off.

^ completely agree

I've been going down to Point Roberts nearly every week for the past two years and I haven't gotten taxed once. Just be honest and don't try to lie or make up any stories. When they ask if you have anything to declare, just tell them straight up. Tell them what you bought, and how much it was. They may tell you to pop open the trunk, but they just want to see if you will sketch out and get nervous.

It's not about being terrible or good...not entirely anyways.

It also depends on HOW MUCH and WHAT you are bringing back. You bring back $1000 vs. $100, yeah, odds are you will get pulled in to pay tax/duty. You bring back knives, batons, or things that can be used as weapons, yeah, odds are you will be given a harder time and investigated more closely than if you were bringing back camera gear.

T4RAWR: sucks you got such a hard time, but looking at it from an outside perspective, they are just doing their job and given the circumstance, I would have expected them to give you a more difficult time than somebody bringing back tires or camera gear. Their just trying to keep the border safe. Also the fact that you could eye out what guns they were carrying while still in their holster... were you looking for possible exit points as well once you entered the CBSA building? ;)

lol,

its funny how gun owners get treated like criminals considering you have to have a clean record in order to be a legal gun owner :troll:

@ronin; i declare absolutely everything, every single time no matter how high or low the value, i even declare the amount of gas i put in and keep the receipts for the parcel pick up to show the CBSA agents.

@UFO; i suppose, nothing wrong with knowing stuff about guns ;) honestly, if its a one time deal thats fine with me, i understand that they're trying to do their "job" and trying to keep canada safe and all that. where i do have a problem is the fact that i have been subjected to inspection every single time after that incident which is the annoying part. sometimes i just go down for gas and still get searched for weapons and firearms if i run into that chinese dude with glasses lol. hence why i dont go anymore.

had the exact same conversation with him :lawl:

For me I haven't been taxed when I bring $400 or less back. The one time I was about to get taxed, I was bringing sports equipment for my softball team. For some reason they let me go after I told them that.

maybe i should switch back to PR...blaine keeps taxing me on anything over 200$ lol must be cus im nexus ..

fixed

nvm

Same as with most of you, I only consistently get sent inside to pay tax/duty by the middle-aged Asian man with glasses. Even for items of lower value, I'm delighted and shocked when he just hands me my driver's license and waves me through.

I've not had any issues with the Asian guy with glasses. Last week I got waived through for $500, nice $60 bonus I was expecting to pay for tax ended up paying for my tank of gas :)

what's the procedure if you get taxed?
do you just go through and park at the building and go inside?
do they take debit?

If you get taxed they'll give you a yellow slip of paper. Park your car and go into the building to pay. I've always paid by Visa so I don't see why they wouldn't take debit as well. They may also ask to search your car if they think you're sketch.

Does anyone know if PR Shell will still receive a package if my friend uses her own name but its under my customer number?

Every single time I cross the border, the guards ask me about my window curtains and compliments them :fullofwin:

Black border guard 2 days ago: "What are the curtains for? Don't go midnight mugging" LOL

Why bother? get your friend to set up a new account. If she wants to send it there, and have you pick it up for her, all she needs to do is send them an email saying you'll be coming by.

I got waved through with a $800 package, only myself, on nexus :fullofwin:

Lucky you. Got taxed on a $650 pickup on a busy day coming back into Canada too from Blaine.
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Offtopic: Holy shit, I didn't realize that I started this thread 5 years ago, and still going strong.

Lol I bring back like $800 worth off stuff all the time and have never been taxed because I always e declare everything. I just saw this thread now and I'm wondering if I was lucky every single Time :pokerface:
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i sent something to the letter carrier and its ready to be picked up. i remember reading on their website that i can arrange to have someone else pick it up for me but that info appears to be gone now that they have changed their website layout.

does anyone know what my friend will need to bring in order for him to help me pick up my parcel at the letter carrier? i called and emailed them but still have not heard back from TLC themselves.

If they took the info about having someone else pickup your parcel, maybe they do not allow it anymore.

The rule before was for your friend to have a photocopy of your driver's license.

Best to try and keep calling them to make sure you can still do that.

said friend is going to point roberts to pick up his own stuff anyway. i'll give him the receipt, tracking number and a photocopy of my ID. if it works it works, if not i guess i'll go on my own. i'll continue to try to call until then hopefully they will respond eventually. thanks!

^You should be alright. I picked up stuff for my gf last month just with her tracking number and her receipt.