BajaNomad - Crossing into Mexico with the New Customs Agents...

Crossing into Mexico with the New Customs Agents...

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SDRonni - 8-26-2009 at 07:36 AM

When's the party? :tumble:

SDRonni - 8-28-2009 at 06:26 AM

I believe that someone here said that things were pretty much "back to normal" at the border. One of the movers bidding on our move says that isn't the case. Anything new to report here to bolster up either assertion? :?:

BJSoccer16 - 8-28-2009 at 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajahowodd
A gringo moving to TJ in these times??

Playas in TJ is a great place to live; I just moved there with my husband and one year old. I will probably stay here a long time. Don't do or sell drugs, hang out with people who do and stay away from Centro and Norte; use common sense and enjoy.

[Edited on 8-28-2009 by BJSoccer16]

bajadock - 8-28-2009 at 11:00 AM

SDRonni, the party is all weekend at the Pub. Dinner last night was a huge, fresh salad with grilled pork and wine tasting.

It has been several months since I've been red-lighted.

Did get to secondary first-time-evar on northbound visit July 30 for having a photocopy of my lost passport. "You photocopied your passport because you were planning on losing it?" was the guard's question.

Bajahowodd - 8-28-2009 at 11:54 AM

BJ- I'm a big fan of Mexico. My remark was made in the context of all the negative press, that has certainly put a damper on people's enthusiasm for going there. Best of luck in your new digs.

dianaji - 8-28-2009 at 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajahowodd
BJ- I'm a big fan of Mexico. My remark was made in the context of all the negative press, that has certainly put a damper on people's enthusiasm for going there. Best of luck in your new digs.

thanks for the encouragement...we need it.

DENNIS - 8-28-2009 at 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SDRonni
I believe that someone here said that things were pretty much "back to normal" at the border.

I said that. "Normal" relative to the hysteria that was being whipped up here at the changeing of the guard. I know it's different but, it will seem most different only to those who continue to transport contraband and not pay proper taxes. Those who don't will not be affected. The red light has always been there and most everybody has seen it first hand.
I'm not beyond guilt. Two days back, I crossed with 150 bucks worth of goods. Way above the advertised limit of 50. I didn't stop to volunteer paying taxes and will continue with this method I hope forever. 50 dollars worth of goods would fit in the glove box and if both sides want to promote commerce, the amount has to change. I think it will soon enough.
The US side will have it's turn to cry the blues. Cars loaded with Christmas gifts wont be parading south through the border as in the past.
Too bad, but, pressure from both sides may bring change. We can only hope.

MikeLikeBaja - 8-28-2009 at 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BJSoccer16

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajahowodd
A gringo moving to TJ in these times??

Um.......lots of things you have as don't dos. Is it ok to breath and hang out in your back yard?

comitan - 8-28-2009 at 03:11 PM

MikeLikeBaja

There are 1.5 million people living in TJ, that are living their lives as everyone else including NOB. I'm sure they only read about the cartels in the papers and in the news.

Cypress - 8-28-2009 at 03:19 PM

From my experience, it's a lot easier getting into Mexico than getting out of Mexico.

MikeLikeBaja - 8-28-2009 at 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by comitan
MikeLikeBaja

There are 1.5 million people living in TJ, that are living their lives as everyone else including NOB. I'm sure they only read about the cartels in the papers and in the news.

LOL thanks guy. You may want to reread.

DianaT - 8-28-2009 at 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by schwlind
I just received an email from a friend who lives in Ensenada regarding the new regulations going south into Mexico with a link to a site which gives more information... If someone has already posted this information, please forgive the duplication.

Here's the url...

http://www.aduanas.sat.gob.mx/aduana_mexico/2008/pasajeros/1...

Linda

On the first post on this thread, chicken was mentioned as not being allowed, but on the restricted list on the aduana site, meat is not mentioned. I checked other sites and only fined mixed messages.

Is there a site that specifically lists food allowed and disallowed? Or did I miss it on that site?

We will hide the spam if necessary. :lol:

Diane

DENNIS - 8-28-2009 at 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jdtrotter
We will hide the spam if necessary.

Put a can on the dash, in plain view, and you'll never see a red light again. These Newbies understand quality.

nbacc - 8-29-2009 at 07:56 AM

We have taken chicken (several) and veggies in our cooler everytime we have gone. We don't want to shop right when we get there so it is dinner for a night or two. Never had a problem. Nancy

Bajahowodd - 8-29-2009 at 11:00 AM

Maybe I'm just different. But it seems to me that for anyone headed South of Ensenada, the availabilty of just about everything necessary in Ensenada, what with all the supermarkets, including Costco and Walmart makes kind of an exercise in futility in trying to decide what you can and cannot bring across the border. I know there have been threads about people jonesing for certain items just not available in Mexico. But, when I wander through Comercial Mexicano, Soriana's of even Calimax, I just don't see the need to be hauling stuff from Stater Bros down in a cooler.

Bob and Susan - 8-29-2009 at 11:53 AM

99% fat free turkey meat
not available here

Bajahowodd - 8-29-2009 at 12:04 PM

When you say "here", do you mean Mulege, or Baja? I'll bet there's alot one can get in Ensenada or La Paz that you're not going to find in Mulege.
Brings up a question, as you guys are in the hospitality biz. I have encountered Kirkland products such as water and paper products in many out of the way areas of Baja. Is there some enterprising guy that loads up a truck at Costco and deliveres door to door along Highway 1? Or is it every man for himself?

Cypress - 8-29-2009 at 12:35 PM

When Bob and Susan speak, Baja bound folks should listen.

DianaT - 8-29-2009 at 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajahowodd
Maybe I'm just different. But it seems to me that for anyone headed South of Ensenada, the availabilty of just about everything necessary in Ensenada, what with all the supermarkets, including Costco and Walmart makes kind of an exercise in futility in trying to decide what you can and cannot bring across the border. I know there have been threads about people jonesing for certain items just not available in Mexico. But, when I wander through Comercial Mexicano, Soriana's of even Calimax, I just don't see the need to be hauling stuff from Stater Bros down in a cooler.

We are quite limited in what is available where we are, so we do take several food items with us. We like to support our local merchants for much of what we eat, but there are many items just not available.

The owner of one of our better stocked stores in town even asked us if we would bring him a jar of Best Foods Sandwich spread---he loves it and he said he cannot find it even in Ensenada or in La Paz---now that is something we can definitely live without, but he loves it on his baloney sandwiches--- :yes:

When we can, we shop in Ensenada, but during the hot weather, that becomes very difficult as we travel with our two dogs.

comitan - 8-29-2009 at 03:06 PM

Well some may not like this but at a supermalmart, we bought every chub of ground turkey 93/7 all 12 and if they had more I would have bought them. :bounce:

Dave - 8-29-2009 at 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jdtrotter
The owner of one of our better stocked stores in town even asked us if we would bring him a jar of Best Foods Sandwich spread---he loves it and he said he cannot find it even in Ensenada or in La Paz---now that is something we can definitely live without, but he loves it on his baloney sandwiches--- :yes:

You can make 'miracle whip' style dressing using any heavy mayo. Just add sugar and lemon juice to taste.

Bajahowodd - 8-29-2009 at 04:12 PM

By using Mayonnaise as a base, you will be creating a concoction that is higher in calories. The primary dif between mayonnaise and miracle whip is the sugar.

DianaT - 8-29-2009 at 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dave

Quote:

You can make 'miracle whip' style dressing using any heavy mayo. Just add sugar and lemon juice to taste.

Ah, but the one he wants is the one with the pickles, pimentos, and the green label. I don't eat the stuff and I hate baloney sandwiches----but

He is a friend and he will receive his Best Food's Sandwich Spread----his smile just thinking about it on a baloney sandwich assured me that no substitute would pass.

Russ - 8-30-2009 at 05:19 PM

Here's an E-mail I received from a neighbor that just arrived:
TIJUANA
We went into the voluntary declaration lane and I asked one of the
Aduana agents to inspect us, if I hadn’t approached someone we would have had a longer wait to get inspected. The gal that helped me asked me to open the trailer door so she could see what we were transporting so I lowered the gate for her. One look at all the household items and she told me that I would have to go to Otay Mesa in order to be inspected as I had a trailer load of furniture. So this gal and another worker stopped all traffic so we could enter a special gate that would get us into a “return to the states lane” and it only took us about 5 minutes to cross. Before entering the states a U.S. customs agent asked me where I was coming from and I replied “next door as the Mexican Aduana would not let me enter Mexico because of the stuff in the trailer”, she had me open the trailer door so she could take a look and was satisfied with my reply and allowed us enter the United States.

OTAY MESA
At Otay I entered the voluntary declaration lane and again approached an officer to inspect the trailer I was towing. I was told to wait one minute and that I would be attended next. While waiting for the officer I noticed that Mexican people were the only ones that had to empty their entire vehicle for inspection, I saw a lot of black plastic bags filled with what appeared to be clothing of some sort. Within 2 minutes the young man that I spoke with came over to see what was in the trailer, I lowered the gate for him to see all that we were bringing down. He took one look at all the items and then we proceeded to have a nice chat about the economy in the United States , the economic situation worldwide, salaries of McDonald’s employees in the U. S. versus McDonald’s employees in Mexico , and how Obama was doing in office. I told him that we lived in Punta Chivato, had retired recently and was bringing furniture down to our house so we could live there full time. After about 15 minutes of chatting he said to me that he must stop visiting as he needs to do his job. He then asked me how about a payment of $20.00 U.S. dollars sounded and I replied that it was very kind and generous of him. He then proceeded to write on the ticket that I had household items and the cost would be $20.00 U.S. , then he instructed me to proceed to another office to pay the duty.

So off I go in search of the other Aduana office and locate it. I approached the counter and was told that I first had to pay the duty at either the Banamex or Bancomer branch office that were in the same building and to return to the counter after making payment. I wait in line at Bancomer as the Banamex office was closed, when my turn came to pay I was informed that payment could only be made in pesos and that they could not sell me any pesos. I ask where I can convert dollars into pesos and was told to go outside the building, make a right turn and another right turn at the corner, pass through a locked gate and there would be street vendors selling pesos. I as instructed and sure enough was able to purchase pesos and returned to Bancomer. The clerk at the bank took payment of $256.00 pesos for the entire trailer load, stamped the paper work as being paid then he told me to proceed to the Aduana counter.

At the Aduana counter they verified payment at the bank and prior to stamping the receipt as asked what the term “household items” consisted of. The gal that helped me said that I should itemize everything I had in case I got a red light and had to be reinspected. The only two items that were questioned was a spare tire and a 5 gallon bucket of paint . I explained that the tire was my spare and the paint was needed to complete a painting job at our house. Satisfied with my explanation then they stamped the paperwork with their stamp and told me to return to the original inspector so he could see that I had made payment. So off I go in search of the young man that helped me and finding him all I had to do was show him the stamped receipt and he told me to proceed to the small guard shack and show them the paid receipt. At the guard shack I show the receipt then was asked to push a button to see if I got a green light which meant to get out of Dodge. If a red light appeared I was to go back for a secondary inspection, lucky me I got a green light and was passed on to the last guard so he could see the stamped paperwork. NOT ONCE WAS THE BED OF THE TRUCK INSPECTED NOR LOOKED AT! I WASN’T EVEN ASKED IF I WAS TRANSPORTING ANY MEAT, WE HAD A COOLER FULL OF FROZEN MEAT BUT WAS NEVER INSPECTED.

There is a notice at the secondary inspection lanes at both T.J. and Otay of items which are definitely not allowed to pass:
Tires - either used or new
Lumber - either used or new
Gasoline from the states
Poultry
Footwear     - which to me meant no shoes or clothing (?) used or new
There were at least two or three other restricted items but we couldn’t remember them.

My advice    - if you have a bunch of stuff to bring down go into the voluntary declaration lane and have your receipts, don’t try to sneak across. The Aduana people are pulling over most vehicles, Mexicans and non-Mexicans alike. They had confiscated a lot of black plastic bags and I saw a big pile of them at Otay Mesa. Be friendly, courteous, respectful, identify all items you are bringing across and have your pesos ready……the reason I was sent to Otay Mesa was because I was transporting furniture. I was told that if a person is only bringing suitcases with personal belongings and a few boxes then T.J. is the place to cross. I realize that being able to speak the language gives me an advantage, also knowing how to “bullchit” a bit helps too. From what I experienced it wasn’t that complicated to cross into Mexico just a bit more steps to go through. For those of you that have to go to Otay Mesa crossing Good Luck to you all in finding your way to the toll road…

DENNIS - 8-30-2009 at 06:02 PM

Thanks, Russ. Good report.

The Gull - 8-31-2009 at 05:46 AM

So Russ, they totally missed the guns and ammo?

Russ

Loretana - 8-31-2009 at 07:58 AM

Muchisima gracias for the report!

It answered every detail I wanted to know for my trip down with a trailer full of furniture this coming week.

Keep the hatches battened down. Saludos.

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