HM Customs - can they do this?

[Guest]

Re: In a word, yes.

HM Customs have rather more powers than the gestapo used to have except that they seldom use the death penalty.

 

[Guest]

From reading the various scripts on this topic one might be led to the conclusion that this kind of activity is restricted to the south coast. Not so! I had a rummage carried out on return to a Clyde marina. The two officers were polite but thorough, one searched the boat whilst the other questioned me. I was asked twice how the Autopilot worked! The search lasted about 50 minutes, I was asked where I had been that weekend at least five times! What a message it sent round the marina though. Unfortunately these things are necessary. If it happens to you cooperate!

 

[Guest]

Re: Europe under Hitler

It all starts so slowly, but totalitarianism ends up being nasty. If you can't see the point of complaining about abusive use of state powers there will be no one to complain to when it finally gets so bad that even the supine notice it.

"When they came for the Gipsys , I didn't speak out. When they came for the Jews, I didn't speak out.

When they came for me there was no one to listen."

All too outrageous to bother about, but ask the farmer who had his livestock killed (and his livelihood) because MAFF couldn't read a map....

 

[Guest]

And would your own HM Customs have to courtesy of speaking French (even in International waters) if they would come aboard a french sailing vessel ? No need to explain stugeron , when reading your comment.

 

[Guest]

These people do need the support of the public in order to efficiently do their job.

But on the other hand this will not be achieved by their poor behaviour. I had contact with a group of Local Customs Officers - they were arrogant, sluvenly used bad language and behaved more like a group of football supporters than Goverment officials.

 

[Guest]

The fact that they can do this (and should , it IS needed)seems to be established. So what is wrong then ? it's the way they do it. Sorry that I have to put it in this way (again , as I have vented same words already before in this forum) , but my experience has consistently been that HM Customs & Excise are a very rude, unpolite and arrogant lot. If they would clean up their act somewhat , it would all be more acceptable. You meet such kind of people all over the world , but -sorry again- the concentration on your nice island seems to be somewhat higher. Please don't export it like all the rest we have seen lately...

 

[Guest]

All I can say ....

... is thank heaven I got out of what appears to have become a state of anarchy! I cannot see that RANDOM searches are in any way a reasonable, efficient, economical or acceptable way of trying to catch who or what ever they're after. Acting on info or with reason is a different matter. I guess it's the pussy-footing penalties and specious defence by "clever" lawyers that has brought things to this.

 

[Guest]

and of course, you will not complain when your kids O/D on heroin, will you Tony !!!!NM

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[Guest]

Making them stupid as well as rude....? *

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[Guest]

Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely....

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