C6-Wednesday, July 30, 1980 - North Shore News Where else but Canada Customs would you find four preserved turtles, one ‘armadillo (shell only), four gold watches, two diamond rings, assorted cameras and radios, three blow guns and three large boxes of firecrackers? Plus two switchblade knives, two revolvers — one a colt 38 with holster, belt and bullets and the other a 22 calibre revolver nick- named the “Saturday | Night Special”, one well-used billy club and two nunchakas (a handy little weapon consisting of two wooden clubs joined by a short chain. Great for quiet assasinations.) All these together with one music box, one white fur and leather coat, two handbags, one box of computer parts, two crocodile belts, two ivory statues, a pair of eight-dollar shoes, a pair of jeans, galions of premium liquor and enough cigarettes to last you a year? How did these items become the property of Canada Customs? Several ways. In the case of the weapons — including seized by the blow guns — they were officials as unlawful. They will either be destroyed or returned to their owners should proper documentation be produced. This can .occur in cases where the weapon is a certified antique but there is a fine equal to 10% of the _assessed value of the thing for any attempt to bring it into Canada undeclared. The crocodile belts, turtle shells and other “endangered species” ivory statues and a list a mile long) are confiscated unless proper exit permits from the country of origin are ob- tained. This permit is highly unlikely. They, too, will be destroyed except for certain specimens which are sent to Ottawa to be included in displays of “forbidden products”. Some of the stuff, such as the shoes, fur coat and jeans will be held for 15 days so that the owner may reclaim them by paying the Canadian duty, plus a fine, usually equal to the original price of the object. Needless to say, most people give up the item rather than dole out the cash. Every few days, cameras, clothing, jewellery and other hardware items are sent to the customs “warehouse in downtown Vancouver. There, they are catalogued products (include - ; alligator shoes and bags, . by Ba rbara | McCreadie and kept for the yearly auction of unclaimed goods. The booze goes down the janitor’s sink at the airport. It is enough to make one cry as bottles of the best liquor (nobody smuggles junk) gurgle down the drain. The Chivas Regal is washed down along with the Black Label and the Napoleon Brandy! The cigarettes used to be given to homes for retired war veterans so that the old people could enjoy the odd free fag. Then, some “do- gooder” came along and decided that smoking was dangerous to their health so Dancing woman stabs fellow Concorde passenger SINGAPORE (UPI) - A woman passenger who was smoking and dancing in the non-smoking area of a supersonic Concorde suddenly brandished a knife and stabbed a executive in the head. “I put my hand out to stop her from plunging it deep into my head,” said the victim, N.M. Cantrill, who was rushed to a hospital for British surgery during a stopover of the British Airways flight in Bahrain Thursday A piece of blade was removed from his skull and he was reported to be in good condition New gas detectors warn in good time Two new gas detector products have been developed by a company located in Markham, On- tano One operates on any 12 volt d.c power supply and the other on 120 volt ac . The 12 volt’ product has been specifically engineered for use in” recreational vehicles, and 1s sensitive to concentrations of LP gas. (propane. butane, ctc ), carbon monoxide, gasoline fumes and many others The detector will sound a loud alarm before gases build up to dangerous Icvels in terms of life safety and wil) operate off the existing 12. volt battery in trailers, campers. passport ph otos hie you wait North? Share Qare ran “the? Lonsdale 988-9813 vans, even boats. The 120 volt product simply plugs into any electncal wall outlet and in addition to the above gases. is sensitive to natural gas and many others normally found around the home. Both products install on the wall in minutes and are covered by a five year warranty on parts and + ESTHETIC CARE _ Deep Pore Cleansing * Rejuvenating Treatments * Personalized Make up lessons & applications *Lye Lash & Brow Tints eMancures Pedicures co Waxing eGift Certificates avaiapie Phane: 085-0016 146 Weat 15th, N. Van workmanship They have been designed, engincered and are manufactured totally in Canada by Tellus In struments Limited) 91 Esna Park Drive. Llinit 9. Markham, QOntano — L.JR 282 WAIKIKI *419 6 Days 7 Nights As 6 Hote! ~ WAIKIKI 429 16 Daye 14 Nights Aw & Holter “LAS VEGAS "199 5 Daya «Night Aa 6 Hote: RENO ‘269 6 Days 7 Nights As & Hote RENO —_*209 5 Deye 4 Nights Aw yvarote! Hotel DISNEYLAND 4299 6 _ 8 Daya | 5 Night. Ae a Hater 1666 Robson Street 10507 K. Geo. Hwy. Surrey 689-7117 Reg. Travel Agent No 157-3 now .the cigarettes are in- cinerated. Doesn’t that make a lot of sense? By the time people reach 80 they should have a fairly good idea HOW they want to endanger their health. As a matter of fact, some of that premium liquor might be just the thing for an appetizer before dinner in some pensioners’ home! Some items are merely stored for the traveller. If someone arrives in the country for a visit — bearing gifts for relatives, and finds that the duty is just too high to pay — the customs of- ficials will store the items until the traveller is ready to return home. Then, he may reclaim the item and take it back with him. The customs officers often try to bend the rules in our favor. lf they are certain that no attempt at smuggling was intended, they will help out. For example, take the 16- year-old kid who arrives at the airport with a bottle of liquor as a gift for relatives here. The kid comes from a country where there is no law against underaged possession of liquor. If there’ is an adult meeting the kid at the airport, the bottle may well be turned over to the adult — with certain ad- monitions to educate his foreign relatives. It is your “duty” as returning Canadians to declare ALL purchases abroad — even those that you know to be duty-free such as original paintings and antiques. Should you fail to do so, and get caught with the goods, the customs officers decide whether you were ignorant of the rules and were attempting to smuggle OR you knew the rules but didn’t realize that the item must be declared regardless. If you're deemed a smuggler, you are assessed a JENN-AIR SUPER SALE BUY THE PAIR! 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One is located in the primary area and it certainly simplifies matters when you and the officer can come to an in- Stant agreement on the amount due. This is set up for the traveler who knows he’s spent a few hundred bucks more than he's allowed, admits it and pays. The other booth is in the secondary, or search, area and this is for people caught with the “goods”. I watched the action carefully for four hours last week. How can we speed-up our return through customs? What needs changing? See next issue!