Customs and Cigarettes / Tobacco

Freebirdjussy

powerful_Rogue wrote: »

Had to chuckle! Its not some big secret!

As long as you can prove to a customs officer that they are for your own personal use, then theres no problem!

Before a customs officer makes any decision on seizing the cigarettes, you have an interview where you get asked questions to establish if the cigarettes are for your own personal use or being purchased for a commercial use.

Not rocket science really!

You really have no clue to what you are saying.

Try it and then see what your response is. Customs don't record the interview and only paraphrase it in their notebooks THEN they pressurise you into signing it as a true and factual account. Do you get a copy of this notebook if you wish to appeal? NO!

powerful_Rogue

Freebirdjussy wrote: »

You really have no clue to what you are saying.

Try it and then see what your response is. Customs don't record the interview and only paraphrase it in their notebooks THEN they pressurise you into signing it as a true and factual account. Do you get a copy of this notebook if you wish to appeal? NO!

As a Customs Officer I think I do! :rotfl:

We do record the interview. An account of it is taken verbatim in our notebooks. We then ask you to read the interview in our notebooks and ask that if you agree it is a true and accurate account, to sign saying so. If you disagree with any parts, that will then be noted in the notebook.

If your goods are then seized and you write in to appeal, then yes you do get a copy of the notebook interview.

Searcher

Freebirdjussy wrote: »

And pray what are these obvious errors? They back up their advice from Freedom of Information request from such as HMRC themselves AND they post videos/audios of actual incidents.

Best site on the web for advice ...bar none!

What exactly is your connection to the website?

Freebirdjussy

powerful_Rogue wrote: »

As a Customs Officer I think I do! :rotfl:

We do record the interview. An account of it is taken verbatim in our notebooks. We then ask you to read the interview in our notebooks and ask that if you agree it is a true and accurate account, to sign saying so. If you disagree with any parts, that will then be noted in the notebook.

If your goods are then seized and you write in to appeal, then yes you do get a copy of the notebook interview.

l apologise, l should've put that you don't tape the interview.

As for recording the interview verbatim, l wonder if you understand the word verbatim? lt means 'exactly', 'word for word'. As you well know these interviews can last for hours and yet you are saying that you record 'exactly', 'word for word' everything spoken in that interview, is that correct? Please note that l did say everything spoken.

Then you say that you ask the person being interviewed to read your notebook and sign it as a true and accurate account. Do you honestly believe that a person can remember everything said in the interview that goes on for such a long period? You can't honestly believe that, especially so, given the stress that person is undoubtably under.

There is no solicitor in the land that would advise their clients to ever do such a thing without representation. Yet, you have no qualms in doing so?

Your last paragraph about getting a copy of the interview is not exactly true, is it?. lf the person appeals against the seizure, they only have one month in which to do so. The only way to get a copy of the interview is to put in a Subject Access Request which costs £10 but will take 40 days to receive it. Seeing as a month only has 31 days maximum, it makes putting in an appeal somewhat difficult, does it not? Perhaps you think the person can remember the interview verbatim?

This being the case, the site gives the following advice:-

1. Record all interviews on such as a mobile phone or other recording device. As a Customs Officer you should know that you cannot refuse this.

2. Do not sign the notebook. There is no need for the person to sign the notebook as if they have the interview recorded, they have the complete interview verbatim, exactly 'word for word'.

Surely you have no objections to this advice?

Freebirdjussy

Searcher wrote: »

What exactly is your connection to the website?

l wrote a few articles for them.

powerful_Rogue

Freebirdjussy wrote: »

l apologise, l should've put that you don't tape the interview.

As for recording the interview verbatim, l wonder if you understand the word verbatim? lt means 'exactly', 'word for word'. As you well know these interviews can last for hours and yet you are saying that you record 'exactly', 'word for word' everything spoken in that interview, is that correct? Please note that l did say everything spoken.

Then you say that you ask the person being interviewed to read your notebook and sign it as a true and accurate account. Do you honestly believe that a person can remember everything said in the interview that goes on for such a long period? You can't honestly believe that, especially so, given the stress that person is undoubtably under.

There is no solicitor in the land that would advise their clients to ever do such a thing without representation. Yet, you have no qualms in doing so?

Your last paragraph about getting a copy of the interview is not exactly true, is it?. lf the person appeals against the seizure, they only have one month in which to do so. The only way to get a copy of the interview is to put in a Subject Access Request which costs £10 but will take 40 days to receive it. Seeing as a month only has 31 days maximum, it makes putting in an appeal somewhat difficult, does it not? Perhaps you think the person can remember the interview verbatim?

This being the case, the site gives the following advice:-

1. Record all interviews on such as a mobile phone or other recording device. As a Customs Officer you should know that you cannot refuse this.

2. Do not sign the notebook. There is no need for the person to sign the notebook as if they have the interview recorded, they have the complete interview verbatim, exactly 'word for word'.

Surely you have no objections to this advice?

I know exactly what verbatim means and that is exactly how I record the interviews in my notebook.

You seem to like making things difficult for the sake of being difficult! If you dont agree with what has been put in the notebook or think something is missing or would like to add a comment then this is when that can be rectified. If people wish to have legal representation present, they are more then welcome to, however as this is civil rather then criminal it would be at their own expense.

A person has one month after the seizure to write in and appeal. I would presume a person would know the reason they are going to appeal without needing a copy of the notebook, however theres nothng stopping someone from writing in saying they wish to appeal the decesion but is awaiting the result of the SAR. Dotn forget 40 days is a maximum for a SAR to be complied with.

Again, as long as you can prove to a customs officer that the tobacco is for your own personal use and your not intending to sell it, then theres no problem!

Freebirdjussy

powerful_Rogue wrote: »

I know exactly what verbatim means and that is exactly how I record the interviews in my notebook.

You seem to like making things difficult for the sake of being difficult! If you dont agree with what has been put in the notebook or think something is missing or would like to add a comment then this is when that can be rectified. If people wish to have legal representation present, they are more then welcome to, however as this is civil rather then criminal it would be at their own expense.

A person has one month after the seizure to write in and appeal. I would presume a person would know the reason they are going to appeal without needing a copy of the notebook, however theres nothng stopping someone from writing in saying they wish to appeal the decesion but is awaiting the result of the SAR. Dotn forget 40 days is a maximum for a SAR to be complied with.

Again, as long as you can prove to a customs officer that the tobacco is for your own personal use and your not intending to sell it, then theres no problem!

Answer please:-

".... the site gives the following advice:-

1. Record all interviews on such as a mobile phone or other recording device. As a Customs Officer you should know that you cannot refuse this.

2. Do not sign the notebook. There is no need for the person to sign the notebook as if they have the interview recorded, they have the complete interview verbatim, exactly 'word for word'.

Surely you have no objections to this advice?"

mildred1978

Freebirdjussy wrote: »

l wrote a few articles for them.

So your posts on here are basically spam then.

Reported.

Freebirdjussy

mildred1978 wrote: »

So your posts on here are basically spam then.

Reported.

You're being ridiculous. You'll note l said 'wrote' not 'write'. One hopes you can understand the difference?

Also spam is the use of electronic messaging systems to send unsolicited bulk messages indiscriminately.

My posts are neither unsolicited, bulk or indiscriminate. l'm responding to specific posts directly with my personal point of view.

mildred1978

Freebirdjussy wrote: »

You're being ridiculous. You'll note l said 'wrote' not 'write'. One hopes you can understand the difference?

Also spam is the use of electronic messaging systems to send unsolicited bulk messages indiscriminately.

My posts are neither unsolicited, bulk or indiscriminate. l'm responding to specific posts directly with my personal point of view.

No, you've registered in order to promote (however indirectly) a site that you have a vested interest in.

That is against the rules of this site, hence I've reported you.