False declaration prompts ATV seizure at the border

News Release
CBSA

Fort Frances, Ontario, March 5, 2012 — The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) facilitates the entry of legitimate travellers and goods, while protecting the safety and security of Canadians and ensuring that Canada’s borders are not used for illegal activity. This work is carried out by CBSA border services officers (BSOs) who ensure that the people, goods and conveyances entering Canada meet all requirements and are compliant with Canadian law.
In January 2012, CBSA officers at the Fort Frances port of entry (POE) processed more than 50,800 travellers in 28,950 vehicles, which represents a 6.1 percent increase in travellers and a 6.5 percent increase in vehicles compared to January 2011. CBSA officers processed 58 charter buses carrying 596 passengers, 610 commercial trucks, and 557 pedestrians during the month.

IMMIGRATION
Officers at the Fort Frances POE conducted more than 550 immigration interviews resulting in the issuance of four work permits, three visitor records and 114 Remote Area Border Crossing permits. Five people were found to have various admissibility issues, of which four were given the option of voluntarily withdrawing their application to enter Canada and were allowed to leave. The other one was allowed entry on a temporary visitor permit.
On January 9, a U.S. resident arrived at the Fort Frances POE seeking entry for a fishing trip. Background checks showed previous convictions for aggravated assault and domestic battery. He was reported as being inadmissible to Canada due to serious criminality, was given the option of voluntarily withdrawing his application to enter Canada and was allowed to leave.
On January 15, a U.S. resident arrived at the Fort Frances POE seeking to move to Canada. She was travelling with all of her worldly possessions, a .22 calibre handgun that she purchased the previous month, and US$78. She was given the option of voluntarily withdrawing her application to enter Canada and was allowed to leave as she was not in possession of an immigrant visa, did not have the means to support herself while in Canada, and did not satisfy the examining BSO that she would leave Canada at the end of any authorized period of stay.
On January 31, a Canadian resident was referred for an ID check. BSOs discovered that she was subject to an undertaking and one of the conditions imposed on her by the court was not to associate with another individual in her travelling party. She was arrested for the breach of undertaking and turned over to the Ontario Provincial Police.

CUSTOMS
During the month of January 2012, CBSA officers conducted over 825 secondary examinations for customs purposes, initiated three seizure actions and issued an additional two written warnings for non-declared or undervalued goods.
On January 7, two returning Canadian residents declared an ATV that they purchased for US$3,800. While completing import paperwork for the ATV, BSOs discovered the original online ad for the ATV, listing the price as US$5,000. When confronted with the ad, the importers admitted that they undervalued the ATV to avoid paying taxes. The ATV was seized and released back to the travellers upon payment of a $675.91 penalty. Had the travellers properly declared the full value of the ATV, they would have paid only $61.40 in duties and taxes.

TRAVEL TIPS
After an absence of 24 hours, you may bring back $50 worth of goods duty- and tax-free; after 48 hours, your personal exemption is $400; and after an absence of seven days, you are entitled to $750 worth of duty-and tax-free goods. There are no personal exemptions for same-day purchases. Please refer to the I Declare brochure on the CBSA Web site for more information.
The CBSA reminds travellers to truthfully declare all purchases and goods received outside of Canada upon their return. Smuggling, undervaluation and other Customs Act offences may lead to seizure and/or prosecution in a court of law. The CBSA keeps a record of infractions in its computer system. If you have an infraction record, you may have to undergo a more detailed examination on future trips.
In addition, new regulations are now in place to facilitate the entry of certain foreign nationals who do not meet the requirements to overcome their criminal inadmissibility to be allowed to enter Canada with a one-time only fee-exempt temporary resident permit. For more information, please visit the Citizenship and Immigration Canada Web site at: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/bulletins/2012/ob389.asp.