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Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Any pork product, even in American package (if opened, like Oscar Meyer ham slices) cannot be brought back north! Raw chicken and eggs are also taboo.
Limes (sour limes) are perfectly fine... and I was directed to Secondary in Tecate once because I declared them... The officer didn't know what was
okay or not!!! He said, well a lime is like an orange and those wren't permitted... In secondary, the ag agent walked over, saw the paper on my
windshield, said LIMES??... and then sent me on my way... with my limes.
Now, we don't bring anything back just because of the agents who don't even have the list memorized or a copy with them!
Here is the list given to me in 2002 when they took my ham away:
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Anyone know exactly what the "certain restrictions" are on okra? 
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wessongroup
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 21152
Registered: 8-9-2009
Location: Mission Viejo
Member Is Offline
Mood: Suicide Hot line ... please hold
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phytosanitary certificate required... would require "fumigation" for Pink Bollworm concern...
http://law.justia.com/us/cfr/title07/7-5.1.1.1.6.11.54.20.ht...
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Marla Daily
Nomad
Posts: 418
Registered: 9-2-2003
Location: Loreto, BCS
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What is the law regarding Dog Treats?
Our agriculture inspector in Loreto (who inspects passenger luggage on incoming flights) confiscated several packages of leather bones, still sealed
in the plastic, I had bought at Trader Joes in the US. He said they were prohibited because they were beef products, this despite the fact that they
are cooked and twisted into shape during their manufacture. (Of course I then asked about all the leather belts and shoes and purses people were
wearing.) No dice!
Last month a friend flew in by private plane with several unopened boxes of Milk Bones. They were all confiscated by the same guy and "incinerated" so
we were told.
Anyone know the agriculture law as it pertains to these items?
[Edited on 1-28-2011 by Marla Daily]
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bkbend
The official at the gate writes something on the slip that goes under the wiper blade and the last two times the folks in secondary couldn't figure
out what the note meant and why I was there. |
That's been their game forever. Good cop...bad cop. The secondary guy will ask you why the gate guy sent you over there and shake his head in full
understanding of your puzzlement when you say you don't know. I think it's their way to see if you're nervous. I know that's why they ask you
stooopid questions like where were you born etc., just to see how quick and clean you are with your reply. If you had a thousand kilos of weed in
your spare tire, you may have a tendency to search for your answer.
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BMG
Super Nomad
Posts: 1776
Registered: 6-10-2007
Location: La Paz / Bahia Asunci�n / Away from home
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Pork products can be very dangerous in the hands of the untrained public.
I think the world is run by C- students.
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wessongroup
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 21152
Registered: 8-9-2009
Location: Mission Viejo
Member Is Offline
Mood: Suicide Hot line ... please hold
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Not sure what play book.. your Ag Inspector would be using in Loreto..
Would imagine there is going to be some strange calls ... if they had been in a can, there may have not been any concern... as the processing of
"canned" products may alleviate most concerns..
Just a guess.. on Milk Bones ... by product of bone marrow... what bone marrow...
Conservative call... and one that may be based on the local economy's needs for sale of same.. imho
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by wessongroup
Not sure what play book.. your Ag Inspector would be using in Loreto..
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I think it's the same book they use at the border, Wiley. No pet food.
The regulation may have roots in something biological, but after so many times interacting with some of these Neanderthals, I'm sure they eat
it.....probably when they go on break.
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bkbend
Senior Nomad
Posts: 693
Registered: 11-27-2003
Location: central OR or central baja
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DENNIS
| Quote: | Originally posted by bkbend
The official at the gate writes something on the slip that goes under the wiper blade and the last two times the folks in secondary couldn't figure
out what the note meant and why I was there. |
That's been their game forever. Good cop...bad cop. The secondary guy will ask you why the gate guy sent you over there and shake his head in full
understanding of your puzzlement when you say you don't know. I think it's their way to see if you're nervous. I know that's why they ask you
stooopid questions like where were you born etc., just to see how quick and clean you are with your reply. If you had a thousand kilos of weed in
your spare tire, you may have a tendency to search for your answer. |
I must have flunked their test. Last trip they ran the dog into the bed of the pickup, guess he didn't sniff that spare tire underneath. I'm not
sure how anyone can give a civil answer after spending two hours waiting in line...
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bkbend
I'm not sure how anyone can give a civil answer after spending two hours waiting in line... |
Some of them thrive on that. They're no longer there to be efficient. They're only there to be mean...and the paycheck.
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BajaBruno
Super Nomad
Posts: 1035
Registered: 9-6-2006
Location: Back in CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Happy
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If you get the automatic trip to secondary before they even have a chance to scan your passport, it is because some wonderful border person attached a
nasty note to your license plate number.
The simple solution is to just visit DMV and get new plates. To the border folks, you are now a new shiny penny, waiting to pee off the next surly
border person. I have gone through several sets of license plates, and each one was like being reborn...for a while.
Good to know about the pork prejudice. I was very close to bringing back a whole Serrano ham the last time I left La Paz. Losing that would have
been tough on me.
Christopher Bruno, Elk Grove, CA.
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BajaRat
Super Nomad
Posts: 1303
Registered: 3-2-2010
Location: SW Four Corners / Bahia Asuncion BCS
Member Is Offline
Mood: Ready for some salt water with my Tecate
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"Guess I'll need to deep fat fry my bacon before smuggling it from now on".
Nice, thought that would work too. Oh how wrong we were when it came to the eagle eye of the Tecate migra. It was a Saturday afternoon, we had just
finished our barbacoa and spotted a pig in a pot. Fresh carnitas and pork fat with skin attached are high on my Saturday priorities. I foolishly
thought they would make great snacks while waiting in the long border line. There was no line, we came over the hill and drove right up second in
line. It was our lucky day! The customs agent was very nice and then his smile faded away. He stared at the center console and asked what was in the
bag. As I began explaining he quietly slipped on rubber gloves, leaned towards the open window and asked " Are you gonna eat all that ". I naively
thought he was hungry and going to tax my snack so I offered him some. Not at all what he was thinking so off to secondary we went. No fines just
admonishment. That was last fall so we probably just joined the asterisk club. We'll find out in a few of weeks.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64855
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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At Tecate, I have been pulled over (secondary) for
(1) U.S. lunch meat,
(2) store packaged, unused, U.S. firewood and
(3) limes... The limes are permitted, by the way... the border officer didn't know.
The other dozens of times, not a problem or inspection.
One time in 2001, southbound at Tecate, Mexican officials checked my square, blue, plastic 5 gallon water jug. Took the lid off and sniffed it
(checking to see if it was gasoline)!
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fishabductor
Senior Nomad
Posts: 800
Registered: 5-29-2010
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I wonder if the sniffer could have detected the bacon if it was hidden in his anal cavity?
I think the drug/money/human smugglers probably take more precaution than hiding the goods in a ziploc baggy in the cooler.
Anyone want to test the system? I will provide the bacon(not my pesonal baco of course) free of cost? You provide the hiding place.
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absinvestor
Senior Nomad
Posts: 725
Registered: 11-28-2009
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We also had the dog food experience. At the Tecate US border crossing, when returning our passports, the agent looked at our dog in the window and
asked me if we had any dog food. I told him we had some Eukanuba dry dog food and he immediately sent me to secondary. The agent that came onboard
asked to see the bag. We didn't have the bag since we store the opened bag food in a tin container. The agent told me that he was suppose to take the
food but that he was going to give us a break and let us keep it. However, he said that since we had been sent to secondary that he was required to do
a check of the motorhome. He looked in every storage compartment (inside and out), under the bed etc etc. and sent us on our way.
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mcfez
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8678
Registered: 12-2-2009
Location: aka BN yankeeirishman
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sweet limes not allowed
Perhaps why the inspectors get confused over your limes....
"Many products grown in Canada or Mexico are allowed to enter the United States. This includes most vegetables and many fruits; however, seed potatoes
from Canada currently require a permit. Additionally, stone fruit, apples, mangoes, oranges, guavas, sopote, cherimoya and sweet limes from Mexico
require a permit.
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/clearing/agri_prod_inus.xm...
[Edited on 1-30-2011 by mcfez]
Old people are like the old cars, made of some tough stuff. May show a little rust, but good as gold on the inside.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64855
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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We now get the truck washed in Baja before going to the border... We were threatened once about the dirt/ mud on the truck...
>>> Vehicles must also be cleaned of any soil. No soil or earth of any kind is allowed into the United States without a permit issued in
advance by USDA Plant Protection and Quarantine Permit Unit. Pure sand, such as a small container of decorative beach sand, is usually allowed.
<<<
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wilderone
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3824
Registered: 2-9-2004
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I know that soil is a big concern and I can understand that. I am always worried that I'll be sent to secondary with my granite rocks (for my rock
garden) and my bags of white arroyo sand (for bulb planting). But not so far - go figure. I've been sent to secondary for oranges ("I already ate
them, my trip is over") - they took my garbage sack with the orange peels. sheesh!! I think the biggest risk is the individual inspector's knowledge
of the law.
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BajaRat
Super Nomad
Posts: 1303
Registered: 3-2-2010
Location: SW Four Corners / Bahia Asuncion BCS
Member Is Offline
Mood: Ready for some salt water with my Tecate
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No dirt? Hmmm...we are always covered in dirt coming and going. Surprised we haven't been stopped for that. They did confiscate a piece of cactus
skeleton that has been on our dash for over 3 years, from AZ, stating that it was an endangered species that we were not allowed to possess. I doubt
the gentleman could identify which species, but I wasn't going to push it.
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DianaT
Select Nomad
Posts: 10020
Registered: 12-17-2004
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| Quote: | Originally posted by BajaRat
.......
I doubt the gentleman could identify which species, but I wasn't going to push it. |
For the sake of your time, your family, and the well being of your vehicle, very intelligent decision.  
There are a few agents at Tecate who are always very friendly and even like to joke some and still do their jobs very well---then there are the jerks
who love having a badge, a gun and power.
There is the one who loves to step outside of the booth while you are driving forward---tall, big hat, wide stance, hand on gun----a real attempt at
his best John Wayne style intimidation. Then he loves to smirk at you as he fires stupid questions to which sarcastic answers would be easy--- he is
almost licking his lips hoping you will challenge him so he can slam you into a complete search in secondary.
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bajaandy
Senior Nomad
Posts: 769
Registered: 2-7-2004
Location: North County
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Mood: Adventurous
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OK, probably not the smartest thing I ever did...
Mid '90's trip, I offered to tow a friends aluminum skiff down and back so he could tow his buggy. Well, we never even launched the skiff while we
were there. On the last day as we broke camp and stuffed all our garbage into a trash bag, I absent mindedly tossed the bag into the boat with the
intention of dropping it at the nearest trash can. Of course, I forgot all about it and sure enough the BPA wanted to know what was in the black
plastic bag in the boat. What black plastic bag? DOH!!! Off to secondary we went. The officer in secondary was very polite, but still wanted to see
what we in the bag. She made the suggestion that next time I should dispose of my trash before coming back into the states. I agreed, and she sent us
on our way.
subvert the dominant paradigm
"If you travel with a man, you must either fall out with him or make him your good friend."
JBL Noel
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