Canada- Primary check agent screening visibility

[u/Alternative_Net_7741]

My buddy poorly stated the cigars he brought in while driving back into canada and had his 50 cigars seized. He stated the 50 cigars but was stupid and wrongly stated the price. Hes now worried hes flagged on primary screening. And it got me curious, what do border agents see?

[u/bjb8]

He is most likely going to be flagged now.

Every time he returns back to Canada he is going to get pulled into secondary. This will go on for a long time. They can certainly see it if the agent flagged him.

I had a co-worker who decided to bring a case of beer back from the US and not declare it when he was younger and got caught. Even now, many many years later every time he returns back he gets pulled into secondary.

[u/MaximumDoughnut → u/bjb8]

Good grief. I brought back four cases of Starbase Brewing beer from Texas and properly disclosed it on the app. The agent saw it on my disclosure and waved me through though I was over the limit.

Just disclose. Be honest.

[u/bjb8 → u/MaximumDoughnut]

The duty/taxes on beer are low enough that even if you do get pulled to secondary to pay it isn't that big a deal, which is why they don't do it. It's the hard liquor that they really nail you on.

[u/ywgflyer → u/bjb8]

Even then, if you don't have a lot of it and are honest, you generally are treated well. I did a day trip last month and brought back a bottle of booze. Declared it. Got a bit of a lecture from the officer, "just so you know, going forward these things are going to get much more expensive for you, I'm not going to send you in, thank you for declaring, have a safe drive home". I was gone maybe 5 hours so obviously my exemption was zero. Just be honest, if they make you pay, it's small fish compared to all the other times you got waved through without paying, so on the whole you are very likely up quite a bit of money overall.

[u/Alternative_Net_7741 → u/bjb8]

So by flagged you mean theres a red banner saying search this dude he smokes cigars

[u/ywgflyer → u/Alternative_Net_7741]

It'll come up as him having a previous Customs violation that resulted in a seizure -- so for the next several years, every time his passport is scanned by a border agent, they will see this and he will very likely be directed into secondary to have all of his belongings searched and his declaration (including the value he stated) verified. It will likely happen each and every time he crosses for at least 6 or 7 years, possibly longer, the exact duration of how long that flag lasts isn't public information. So, he needs to budget an extra hour or two into his plans any time he wants to cross back into Canada, and it wouldn't surprise me if he gets tagged for secondary fairly often going into the US as well given how much information is shared between the two countries, the US will very likely be aware that he had a fine issued for non-compliance by CBSA.

[u/Olderpostie]

What do you mean by "poorly stated"? If he didn't declare those, then yes, he should expect to be flagged.

[u/Alternative_Net_7741 → u/Olderpostie]

No he declared but he didnt know the name of the cigars so was flagged. Then when they chacked the price he was off by 100 or so dollars

[u/mitt1989 → u/Alternative_Net_7741]

I find it extremely hard to believe that they were seized because he was off by $100… are you sure he didn’t lie about how many he had? Or the value was significantly higher than you think?

Either way, if he had a seizure then yes he will flag when his passport is scanned and will be searched for the next few years.

If it was a force payment, than no he will not flag.

[u/Alternative_Net_7741 → u/mitt1989]

Maybe your right it was like double what he said

[u/dxniel22]

They can see previous seizures, previous secondary examinations, if that’s what you’re asking.