Busted at the Border: $2.3B in Goods Seized by Customs Last Year

(QMI Agency/Toronto Sun)

Canadian officials seized illicit goods worth more than $2.3 billion at the border last year — including stashes of date-rape drugs valued at $1.4 billion.

Records obtained by QMI Agency under Access to Information show huge hauls of booze, drugs, tobacco, guns and other prohibited weapons stopped at air, land and sea ports. Animals, birds, explosives, currency and jewelry were also confiscated under the Customs Act. The most valuable seizure was of GHB - gamma hydroxybutyric... Read more here.

Planned Border Closings Rankle Communities

(The Gazette)

Opposition is growing to the Canadian Border Security Agency’s (CBSA’s) recent decision to close two Canadian border stations south of Montreal next spring.

The mayor of Franklin, Suzanne Blair, will be holding a news conference next week to launch a petition drive. And the largest employer in the region, Les Vergers Leahy, has written federal authorities a strong letter of protest.

News of the proposed closings has also been greeted negatively south of the border.

Gary Douglas, president of the Plattsburgh-North Country Chamber of Commerce, told Plattsburgh’s Press-Republican that the unilateral decision by Canada to close the two border stations violates the 2002 U.S.-Canada Smart Border Accord.

“The failure of the Canadian government to co-ordinate with the U.S. government is absolutely mind-boggling,” he said. Read more here.

Canada's Customs Inquisition

(Lysiane Gagnon — Globe & Mail)

‘Going through customs is the only moment when a Canadian can imagine he lives in a police state’

When Marie-Claude Lortie, a food critic for La Presse, returned home from a family trip to France and Italy, she told the customs officer she was carrying more bottles of wine than the limit of two per adult. She was expecting to be asked for the receipts and charged for the taxes. But instead of being treated like a law-abiding citizen, she and her whole family – her husband and three young exhausted children – were subjected to an aggressive search. Looking for the few bottles of Merlot and Sangiovese, the gloved officer rampaged through panties, stuffed animals and dirty jeans as if the family were guilty of illicit trafficking.

When Ms. Lortie wrote about this in La Presse, her inbox was flooded with e-mails from readers who’d suffered the same experience. Each time they declared something over the limit, their baggage would automatically go through what’s called “a secondary search.” Many readers confessed that, at some point, they stopped declaring anything and just tried their luck. Read more here.

Border Guards’ Firearms Trainer Fired; Union Calls Move ‘Vindictive’

(Chris Cobb — Ottawa Citizen)

The firearms expert chosen to supervise the weapons training of Canada’s border guards has been dismissed by the Canadian Border Service Agency in what his lawyer says is “vindictive and unfair” treatment.

RCMP Sgt. Richard Groulx, one of Canada’s leading firearms trainers, appears to have been unwittingly caught in a bitter dispute between the border guards’ union and senior agency managers in Ottawa.

Groulx remains employed by the RCMP but is now fighting to continue the secondment to CBSA, which began almost four years ago when he was hand-picked to lead the firearms training of the country’s 4,800 border guards.

The union-management dispute is over the arming of customs officers who are asked to take part in joint search operations with the RCMP and other police forces. Read more here.

CBP Detroit Implements ‘Ready Lane’ Pilot Program

(CBP)

RFID-Enabled Documents Get Special Lane During Program

U.S. Customs and Border Protection today announced a pilot program at the Ambassador Bridge for travelers with approved Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology-enabled travel documents. The pilot program will start Monday, June 28, and last for 90 days.

CBP will dedicate lane 13, or the “Ready Lane,” for travelers entering the U.S. with a WHTI-compliant, RFID-enabled document. These documents include:

• U.S. Passport card

• Enhanced Driver’s License or Enhanced Identification card

• Trusted Traveler card, such as NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST

• New Permanent Resident card or a new Border Crossing card

“Since the implementation of WHTI in June 2009, travelers have been required to present secure travel documents that denote citizenship and identity when entering the U.S. at land ports,” said Acting Director Field Operations Roderick Blanchard. “The use of RFID technology in these documents enables CBP to further facilitate legitimate travelers as they cross the border into the U.S. This pilot program will help us determine the efficiency and effectiveness of a dedicated RFID lane for those travelers.”

During the pilot program, the “Ready Lane” will be open from 6 to 10 a.m., seven days a week. CBP will monitor the success of the lane and expand the hours of operation as needed to meet the demand for usage.

In order to use this dedicated lane, all adult passengers over the age of 16, must present one of the approved travel documents.

Travelers using the “Ready Lane” are reminded the three simple steps to follow as they approach a U.S. land port of entry with their RFID-enabled travel card:

• Stop at the entry to the inspection lane and wait for a signal to move forward.

• Each passenger removes his or her travel card from its protective sleeve and holds it up, with the flat front face of the card toward a window on the driver’s side. The RFID-enabled cards will be read automatically while the vehicle proceeds to the inspection booth.

• Stop at the inspection booth, and be prepared to present documents for all travelers in the vehicle to the CBP officer.

“The priority lane complements Michigan’s enhanced driver’s license by adding another element of convenience for travelers,” said Michigan Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land, who secured federal approval of the state’s enhanced license program.

“As the enhanced license becomes even more popular, I applaud U.S. Customs and Border Protection for exploring ways to efficiently accommodate motorists who enjoy its advantages. Our state and federal partnership is responding to the needs of travelers while ensuring the security of Michigan and America.”

Cross Border Tug-of-War

(CNN via VodPod)



Members of the Niagara Regional Police square off against their American counterparts in an annual tug-of-war competition.

As Olympics Approach, Expect Delays in BC

(Materials Management & Distribution – Deana Rosolen)

Efforts in place to mitigate congestion, but deliveries will take longer

The Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games will take over Vancouver and Whistler, British Columbia, from February 12 to March 21. There will be a massive influx of people and a corresponding spike in demand for goods, not to mention an array of unique items to be moved – bobsleighs, anyone? Plus, many roadways, particularly in downtown areas, will be closed to traffic.

The streets and highways feeding the Games will certainly be more congested than normal, but there are plans in place to ensure that the supply chains supporting the Games run smoothly. The City of Vancouver and other agencies have issued plenty of information about what shippers and carriers should expect. Read more here.

NEXUS Goes Overtime to Assist Hockey Fans at the Canadian Border

(NHL/Buffalo Sabres)

The Buffalo Sabres today announced a new partnership with the Peace Bridge Authority (PBA) to create more public awareness of the NEXUS program. To make this program more user friendly for hockey fans, the NEXUS lanes entering Canada have now had their hours extended by the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) following all Sabres home games, and will continue to do so during the 2011 World Junior Championship in Buffalo.

“An efficient, smooth flowing border is critical to the prosperity of the binational region and organizations like the Buffalo Sabres that add so much to the quality of life in this area,” said Anthony Annunziata, Chairman of the Peace Bridge Authority. “The CBSA is to be commended for their commitment to improve the functionality of the border, and to ensure that not only Sabres games but also major events like the World Junior Championship can be attended and enjoyed without the border being an impediment.” Read more here.

Related: Sale of 10 acres set to extend Customs (Watertown Daily Times)

Tips on Crossing the U.S. Border Over the Holidays

(GHY International)

Plenty of Canadians will be crossing the land border into the U.S. this holiday season which prompted U.S. Customs and Border Protection to issue a press release offering some helpful pointers to make it a smoother process.

Here are their tips as listed in the CBP press release:

1) Travelers should familiarize themselves with the “Know Before You Go” section of the CBP website to avoid fines and penalties associated with the importation of prohibited items.

2) Travelers should prepare for the inspection process before arriving at the inspection booth. Individuals should have their approved travel documents available for the inspection and they should be prepared to declare all items acquired abroad.

3) Members of the traveling public should consult the CBP website site to monitor border wait times for various ports of entry. Information is updated hourly and is useful in planning trips and identifying periods of light use/short waits. During periods of heavy travel, border crossers may wish to consider alternative, less heavily traveled entry routes.

4) Travelers should plan to build extra time into their trips in the event they cross during periods of exceptionally heavy traffic.

5) Know the difference between goods for personal use vs. commercial use. For more details, visit www.cbp.gov/travel.

6) Do not attempt to bring fruits, meats, dairy/poultry products and firewood into the United States from Canada without first checking whether they are permitted.

7) Understand that CBP officers have the authority to conduct enforcement examinations without a warrant, ranging from a single luggage examination up to and possibly including a personal search. Even during the holiday travel season, international border crossers should continue to expect a thorough inspection process when they enter the U.S. from Canada.

For more information, please visit www.GetYouHome.gov or www.cbp.gov.

CTA Voices Border Concerns at Economic Summit

(Canadian Trucking Alliance)

The Canadian Trucking Alliance is concerned that border problems are being masked by the economic downturn and congestion of the past will return unless changes are made. David Bradley, CEO of the CTA, took that message with him when he traveled to the Annual Summit of the Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER) in Boise, Idaho.

PNWER is a public-private organization comprising five U.S. states (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington), three provinces (Alberta, B.C. and Saskatchewan) as well as the Yukon. Together the regions represent the 11th largest economy in the world. This year’s PNWER summit was held in Boise, ID.

Bradley told the gathering of legislators and business people from the northwest region of the continent that problems at the border are currently being masked by lower volumes of trade reflecting the ongoing recession and therefore fewer cross-border truck trips.

He warned that a return to more normal traffic levels could mean a return to longer delays and less predictability at the busiest border crossings and that “anything that impairs the efficiency, productivity and reliability of the North American supply chain impacts negatively on the region’s ability to compete, to attract direct investment and to take full advantage of economic recovery when it comes.” Read more here.

Napolitano Takes Hard Line on Border Security

(HS Today – Mickey McCarter)

Different threats to United States require different approaches on U.S. northern and southern borders but border integrity will be enforced, secretary vows Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano promised to work with Canada to develop shared and smart solutions to border security in advance of her first trip to the country but she also vowed first and foremost she would enforce U.S. border laws in exchanges with Canadian representatives in Washington, DC, Tuesday.

“I think if my job is to be a myth-buster, I’m a myth-buster,” Napolitano declared at a forum sponsored by the Border Trade Alliance. “And the myth I’m trying to bust is that there’s no real border between Canada and the United States.

“There’s the closets of friendships, there’s the closest of alliances. There’s the closest of trade relationships. I know that, I respect that,” she said in response to concerns from a Canadian businessman. “But the law says there’s a border and certain things have to be done at the border. And the fact of the matter is that Canada allows people into its country that we do not allow into ours. And that’s why you have to have a border. And you have to have a border policy that makes sense.”

Napolitano told Canadian lawmakers and business representatives alike that she would work with the Canadian government to address shared concerns over the thickening of the border--or putting in place security measures that slow the flow of legitimate cargo and travelers. Read more here.

The transcript of Ms Napolitano’s April 20 interview with CBC’s Neil Macdonald is on the CBC website at the CBC website.

Border U.S. Regulatory Barriers Mean Increased Costs for Canadian Industry and Its Customers

(NB Business Journal – Rebecca Penty)

Peter Nelson is taking his case for a more open border with Canada’s southern neighbour right to the woman at the top – U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano. Nelson, the executive director of the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association, will be in Washington, D.C., from Sunday to next Tuesday for the Border Trade Alliance annual conference, where Napolitano will deliver the keynote address.

He wants an audience with Napolitano – one of U.S. President Barack Obama’s recently-named top officials – who has mused about introducing new border security measures to bring the United States’ border with Canada in line with its Mexican boundary.Nelson worries new measures will slow down travel for truckers getting across, adding to fees for bureaucracy that is already burdensome for industry. “We only expect to see even more security, not less,” Nelson said, adding that border decisions should balance trade and security needs. “For us, it’s about trade. For her, it’s about security and there doesn’t seem to be any middle ground anywhere.” Read more here.

Canada and U.S. to Renew Joint Clearance Talks

(Journal of Commerce Online – R.G.Edmonson)

Meetings planned to revive effort that failed five years ago

The U.S. and Canada will take another look at stationing customs officers in each other’s country to clear goods before they arrive at the border. The Obama administration made a commitment to re-examine the clearance issue after a meeting last month between Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Public Safety Minister Peter Van Loan, according to a spokesman for the minister.

The two countries considered the idea five years ago. Canadian officials proposed zones where customs officers could work side-by-side at a site away from the border, to expedite the movement of goods while maintaining border security.

The idea stalled after Canadians raised questions of national sovereignty. Read more here.

Stuck at the Border

(National Post – David H. Bradley, Canadian Trucking Alliance)

The obstacles that Canadian trucks face at the U.S.-Canada border is a major threat to our economy

Two-thirds (by value) of Canada’s trade with the United States moves by truck. So, I often get asked the question: How are things at the border these days?

Before answering that, it is important to understand that North America – especially its manufacturing regions – has been in a freight recession for at least two years. Initially, the reduction in freight volumes – particularly a drop-off in southbound shipments – reflected the impact from the appreciation in the value of the Canadian dollar, and ongoing problems in the auto and forestry sectors.

What had been the Canadian truckers’ traditional prime routes, and the major source of the industry’s growth over the previous 20 years, has been drying up. The onset of the financial meltdown and a world-wide recession has only served to exacerbate what had been underway for some time. Read more here.

Toward a Better Border: The United States and Canada

(CSCB)

On March 25, 2009 the Canadian International Council (CIC) and The Brookings Institution hosted a conference in Washington entitled “Toward a Better Border: The United States and Canada” to help shed light on the evolving security and economic challenges associated with the Canada-US border and to examine recommendations for improving border policy. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano delivered the keynote address.

Video excerpts and transcripts of the conference can be obtained on the CIC website.