Luton Airport Customs

NickIrons · 13-11-2007, 12:00 PM

I travelled to London last friday from Basel (CH)
to Luton Airport on my way to see the Sex Pistols
play in Brixton. I was stopped going through the "Nothing
to declare" exit. Pain in the a** yes, but necessary...
I had in my possesion a twenty year old Rolex that a UK
friend had asked me to get serviced the last time I was in
the UK, I had done this, and was bringing it back, it was
obvious that it was not new and had the reciept from Rolex,
the service report, the garauntee, and the bill in my name.
I was questioned for over twenty five minutes, I said to
the customs officer the watch belonged to a freind and I
had simply got it serviced, they wanted to know why the bill
was in my name and not my friends, I explained that when I
went into Rolex service centre, I had asked them to service
my friends watch and they asked for my name, so I gave it to
them, with my phone number (CH) well, why wouldn't you?
I was asked what my job was, with whom, and for how long...
Does anyone find this odd?

mkpdavies · 13-11-2007, 12:49 PM

No, you are guilty before being proven innocent in this country now.

g hall · 14-11-2007, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickIrons

I travelled to London last friday from Basel (CH)
to Luton Airport on my way to see the Sex Pistols
play in Brixton. I was stopped going through the "Nothing
to declare" exit. Pain in the a** yes, but necessary...
I had in my possesion a twenty year old Rolex that a UK
friend had asked me to get serviced the last time I was in
the UK, I had done this, and was bringing it back, it was
obvious that it was not new and had the reciept from Rolex,
the service report, the garauntee, and the bill in my name.
I was questioned for over twenty five minutes, I said to
the customs officer the watch belonged to a freind and I
had simply got it serviced, they wanted to know why the bill
was in my name and not my friends, I explained that when I
went into Rolex service centre, I had asked them to service
my friends watch and they asked for my name, so I gave it to
them, with my phone number (CH) well, why wouldn't you?
I was asked what my job was, with whom, and for how long...
Does anyone find this odd?

Especially the bit about going to see the Sex Pistols

Smidgey · 14-11-2007, 06:25 PM

Customs is one of my most hated British bureaucracies.

I'm still decided which would go first when I become PM

: the Royal Mail, Customs or the BBC.

NickIrons · 14-11-2007, 06:46 PM

I don't have a problem with being searched for
contraband, drugs, porn ect...
I was just rather confused as to why my employment,
which is written on my Swiss work permit, which btw was
thouroghly examined, and the fact I was carrying a
twenty year old Rolex, warranted a 25 minute grilling,
I was only in the UK for 48 hours so I only had a small
rucksack, with two pairs of pants and socks and a jumper
in it, how long does it take to check that?
I'd done nothing illegal, nor was carrying any forbidden
items entering a country of which I am a citizen of.
OTT in my opinion.

Aardvark · 14-11-2007, 08:08 PM

...but if you were here illegally you could end up working for customs! Latest estimate is 10,000 illegals working in the security industy. Nobody checks where it really matters, but have a watch serviced and you're treated like a criminal.

It took me over an hour, many years ago, to bring a camera back into the country having imported it once already! It didn't occur to me to carry the receipts in perpetuity. I was allowed through because I didn't change my version of events between customs men.

13-11-2007, 12:00 PM	#1 (permalink)
NickIrons Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Bienne, Switzerland Posts: 494	Luton Airport Customs I travelled to London last friday from Basel (CH) to Luton Airport on my way to see the Sex Pistols play in Brixton. I was stopped going through the "Nothing to declare" exit. Pain in the a** yes, but necessary... I had in my possesion a twenty year old Rolex that a UK friend had asked me to get serviced the last time I was in the UK, I had done this, and was bringing it back, it was obvious that it was not new and had the reciept from Rolex, the service report, the garauntee, and the bill in my name. I was questioned for over twenty five minutes, I said to the customs officer the watch belonged to a freind and I had simply got it serviced, they wanted to know why the bill was in my name and not my friends, I explained that when I went into Rolex service centre, I had asked them to service my friends watch and they asked for my name, so I gave it to them, with my phone number (CH) well, why wouldn't you? I was asked what my job was, with whom, and for how long... Does anyone find this odd?

13-11-2007, 12:49 PM	#2 (permalink)
mkpdavies Uber Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Woking Posts: 31,158 Party: Libertarian Party	No, you are guilty before being proven innocent in this country now. __________________ http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/ http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/ http://lpuk.org My ignore list Labour, Blue Labour, Lib Dems

14-11-2007, 06:25 PM	#4 (permalink)
Smidgey Uber Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 2,222 Party: Libertarian Party	Customs is one of my most hated British bureaucracies. I'm still decided which would go first when I become PM : the Royal Mail, Customs or the BBC. __________________ How vain is man, who boasts in fight the valour of gigantic might! -Georg Friedrich Händel

14-11-2007, 06:46 PM	#5 (permalink)
NickIrons Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Bienne, Switzerland Posts: 494	I don't have a problem with being searched for contraband, drugs, porn ect... I was just rather confused as to why my employment, which is written on my Swiss work permit, which btw was thouroghly examined, and the fact I was carrying a twenty year old Rolex, warranted a 25 minute grilling, I was only in the UK for 48 hours so I only had a small rucksack, with two pairs of pants and socks and a jumper in it, how long does it take to check that? I'd done nothing illegal, nor was carrying any forbidden items entering a country of which I am a citizen of. OTT in my opinion. Last edited by NickIrons; 14-11-2007 at 06:48 PM. Reason: spelling

14-11-2007, 08:08 PM	#6 (permalink)
Aardvark Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Oxonia Posts: 3,987	...but if you were here illegally you could end up working for customs! Latest estimate is 10,000 illegals working in the security industy. Nobody checks where it really matters, but have a watch serviced and you're treated like a criminal. It took me over an hour, many years ago, to bring a camera back into the country having imported it once already! It didn't occur to me to carry the receipts in perpetuity. I was allowed through because I didn't change my version of events between customs men. __________________ When in Woking do as the Wokes do. "I do not wish to form my opinions by thoughtlessly quoting others; I wish others to support their opinions by sensibly quoting me." Paul Wesson (Aardvark) 13th April 2008

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