Innocent tourist harrassed and money seized at Blaine Washington Customs

I am appalled at how our government has become so power hungry and abusive to the common people in America, it has become a real nightmare..

I know these kind of things have been happening to many different people everywhere, but this latest incident of abuse of power affected a friend of my Wife and myself last night..

Our family friend from Shanghai China came to Vancouver , BC this week only for a vacation, but ended up having all his cash seized illegally by our corrupt US customs and Immigration officials.

He was coming to Bellingham, Washington to visit us as a side journey, and having all the correct documentation and claiming upon arriving that he had $9,000.00 dollars for buying some fancy clothes and electronics, which are now more expensive in China's big cities than the USA..

But the US Customs decided that no normal person brings 9,000 cash accross the border, so they took his money, held him and interrogated him for 10 hours yesterday without food or anything, and then finally because he had done nothing wrong, and did not commit any crime, they took his money anyways, and sent him back to Canada... He was taking a Greyhound bus to Bellingham, so he then called some of his friends in Vancouver who came and picked him up at the border.

He reported to us today that they treated him quite abusively and tried to accuse him of having some unknown criminal intent in coming to the USA..

Some of them laughed and thanked him for the free money as they told him to go back home. (This was before they strip searched him while he was handcuffed)


This is just outrageous and corrupt behavior by our officials.

I told him he should call a lawyer in Vancouver today and file a lawsuit against them..

I think all stories like this need to be exposed by alternative media as much as possible and somehow these rotten officials need to be dealt with...

Has anyone else on ATS had friends treated like this recently?

Did they give him a receipt? Usually, he should receive notice at his address of the seizure and offense statute in 30 days. I would definately get a lawyer.

reply to post by pityocamptes


I believe they did give him some paperwork, but he was not charged with any crime, and it is legal to bring any amount of currency if you report amounts over 10k, but for some reason they decided to really screw him over.

They also cancelled his American 10 year visa even though he did not do anything wrong..

I will try and get more details from him later...

Thnks for the reply

reply to post by alienreality


If you can, contact your local media,and put your friend together with them. Let him get his story out. This is robbery by a government agency, with no reason to keep his money. This is a newsworthy story. Strike while the iron is hot.

Des

reply to post by Destinyone


This is a good idea, I will call him immediately and give him the Bellingham Herald news number.

A lot of those border people live in Bellingham and would see their abuses on the front page of the local news.

Wow if this is true, I guess I have no real reason to doubt you, the callous mentality of "our" state officials is criminal to say the least.

I really hope your friend makes a huge stink about this, I would be spreading my stink all over if that happened to me.

Thats terrible I feel for your friend, just goes to show that everyone not in uniform, is a criminal or terrorist theses days. Going down to support the american economy must be seriously frown'd upon.

Hopefully he can get his funds back, and find some way to acheive justice, I highly doubt it but thats my hope.

SaneThinking

Wow, This is f***** up. Being in Bellingham as well I know how the border can be total jerks for no reason. On a trip back from Harrison Hot Springs BC they searched our motorhome and siezed a coffee can of dogfood, and an avacado. They were dicks about it too. I avoid going to Canada anymore because it is such a PITA to go through the border.

Your friend should definetly get a lawyer. This seems like outright theft. Is their a law limiting the amount of money one is allowed to bring into the US? If so I have never heard of it. I can't see how they can lawfully take someones money and send them on their way with no proof or evidence of criminal intent.

I agree with the person above who said you should get the local media involved. I'd bet the Herald would pick up this story.

reply to post by alienreality


Someting in reverse and much milder happened to two friends and myself crossisng the border into Mexico at Larado, Texas three years ago. My buddy knew the law when the US officer asked us how much money we were taking into Mexico. My said, "Less than 10 thousand." According to the law then (maybe still) you did not have to report anything less than 10 thousand. The officer asked the question again, and he was given the same answer, "Less than 10 thousand." (Maybe we had at the most 3 thousand between the three of us.) Rather than let us through as decent, law-abiding folks, the officer had us pulled over and the vehicle and luggage checked for about a loss of an hour of our time and that of three officers and the dog.

So it was pure harrassment, but legal because they had the power. What did they gain? Nothing. They lost because here I am three years later reciting that rather small incident. It made a lasting impression.

Maybe a call to Chinese embassy in D.C.?

Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States

If the story is legit, which I'm inclined to believe I think the embassy and a lawyer would help. I doubt this will get on the news but you never know. I have been hearing more stories about the checkpoints into Canada lately.

Last time I tried to go to Canada they guy told me after an hour that $450 in cash wasn't enough to let me in. I had credit cards but they said no. Finally my wife was upset because we were going to Niagra Falls so they let us go. I turned the car around and headed back to the US to spend my money.

Thanks for all the tips and replies, I have forwarded these to him just now, and I also talked to the Herald news editor and gave him our friends number so he can tell them directly what happened.. The news editor seemed pretty interested..

She also said that she knows how they treat anyone with cash like this as either a terrorist or a drug smuggler.

I need to call him again and have him call the Chinese Embassy..

Originally posted by alienreality
Thanks for all the tips and replies, I have forwarded these to him just now, and I also talked to the Herald news editor and gave him our friends number so he can tell them directly what happened.. The news editor seemed pretty interested..

She also said that she knows how they treat anyone with cash like this as either a terrorist or a drug smuggler.

I need to call him again and have him call the Chinese Embassy..

What is the statute they gave him for the seizure of the money? That is important.

reply to post by pityocamptes


When he got there he claimed his money which was 8900.00 u.s. dollars, and 1300.00 canadian dollars.

But then at the end of his 10 hour ordeal, they claimed he didn't report his bringing this money even though he did, because he already knew these rules.. They have the exact same rule in China for the requirement to report if you bring more than 10,000 over a border..

I thought he had less than 10,000, but he just gave me more exact details of the amount of money he had..

I'm not sure of the actual statute..

Originally posted by Domo1
If the story is legit, which I'm inclined to believe I think the embassy and a lawyer would help. I doubt this will get on the news but you never know. I have been hearing more stories about the checkpoints into Canada lately.

Can anyone now doubt that we are dealing with a totally out-of-control government? The bonus to this fubar behavior so close to home is making sure that the word is finally getting out. We are now getting the barest tiny fraction of the behavior uncle sam has been shoveling out overseas for a very long time.

reply to post by alienreality


and these people are in charge of homeland security. they're acting more like corrupt prison guards than any law enforcement.

I thought he had less than 10,000,

reply to post by alienreality


over 10k and if there was any discrepancy in the declared amount and they are within their right to cease, sucks but it happens all the time at the Mexico crossing.