Apple Costs Passenger $500.

[Still Dreaming]

They must announce it because I threw out a bag of baby carrrots before San Juan!!

Global entry and a sack from delta I would think that she travels frequently and was in first class/business. She probably just forgot she had it.

[RJake1]

Not a leg to stand on. One is not asked to only declare fruit from other countries. The fruit was not declared. That in and of itself is enough.

 

Even if the apple had been acquired in the US, as soon as it left the country it became subject to import restrictions.

 

Just how would the passenger prove the provenance of the fruit?

Easy. It was packaged and sealed in a Delta branded wrapping. She can prove she was on the Delta flight. Delta officials can then confirm they distributed the Apple, and the origin of the Apple. Airlines keep detailed records.

 

The bigger question is why the word Apple is automatically capitalized when I keyboard it?

 

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[nelblu]

You have to explicitly state that you do NOT have any food on your customs form. People should be responsible enough not to make a false declaration,,,, else break out the check book.

 

 

Last 3 cruises no declaration forms.

[Milwaukee Eight]

She was on the Global Entry Program. Not sure she even filled out the form.

 

 

 

Global Entry still requires at minimum filling out an electronic questionnaire before entry where one is asked about agriculture items.

 

 

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[BekkaW]

Easy. It was packaged and sealed in a Delta branded wrapping. She can prove she was on the Delta flight. Delta officials can then confirm they distributed the Apple, and the origin of the Apple. Airlines keep detailed records.

 

The bigger question is why the word Apple is automatically capitalized when I keyboard it?

 

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This is all completely irrelevant. Had she declared the apple these facts may have meant she could keep it (the purpose of declaring food is so they can check whether it’s safe, not necessarily to take it away) but she’s made a false declaration which is a serious offence.

[Milwaukee Eight]

This is all completely irrelevant. Had she declared the apple these facts may have meant she could keep it (the purpose of declaring food is so they can check whether it’s safe, not necessarily to take it away) but she’s made a false declaration which is a serious offence.

 

 

 

Agree

 

 

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[BillOh]

T The apple was discovered when she entered the US and she was fined $500.

 

.

 

Apparently the US isn't as forgiving as Australia. Netflix has a series about Customs and Border Patrol (probably not their name) in Australia. They get a large number of Asians who bring in months worth of groceries for their stay and don't declare it on their forms. When it is something like this apple, served by an airline it is destroyed and the traveler warned. Fascinating show - Border Patrol

[broberts]

Easy. It was packaged and sealed in a Delta branded wrapping. She can prove she was on the Delta flight. Delta officials can then confirm they distributed the Apple, and the origin of the Apple. Airlines keep detailed records.

 

The bigger question is why the word Apple is automatically capitalized when I keyboard it?

 

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I don't see CBP going to any trouble to satisfy the wants of someone that has already lied to them.

 

Apple is one of the largest and influential corporations in the world. At least your phone software thinks so.

[Expat Cruise]

I have many friends who are retired US Customs Officers and from talking to them about work in the past I am absolutely sure more to this story than is being told. But the form she filled out is very clear, from the form:

 

• Mark an X in the Yes or No box. Are you bringing with you:
  
  • Fruits, plants, food, or insects?
    
  • Meats, animals, or animal/wildlife products?
    
  • Disease agents, cell cultures, or snails?
    
  • Soil or have you visited a farm/ranch/pasture outside the United States?
    

  [*]Mark an X in the Yes or No box. Have you or any family members traveling with you been in close proximity of (such as touching or handling) livestock outside the United States?

  [*]Mark an X in the Yes or No box. Are you or any family members traveling with you bringing $10,000 or more in U.S. dollars or foreign equivalent in any form into the United States?

She had to have said something or had other issues for it to cost her such a large fine.

One thing people should take from this, be careful and respectful when dealing with customs and immigration anywhere. Here in the Philippines a friend of mine was texting his wife in the immigration line (not allowed but he does it weekly... honey here pull car up) a officer saw this and decline his entry into the country.

Traveling is no joke all need to be care and respectful...

[griffy116]

I watched Border Patrol for several of the countries and I can assure you, I take the Customs form much more seriously. I used to just hit the "no" column with everything. I found out it MATTERS. We were landing in Hawaii and if you think it's just foreign countries, think again. They are VERY serious about any agricultural products you might have on you or in your luggage. On the Australian ones, if they verbally ask and you tell the truth, that yes you have food, they'll check it and might just toss it out. If you lie, you are going to get fined.

[Joebucks]

Border patrol is looking for three things: resellers, honesty, and banned items. She knew what she had. She declined to be honest because it might mildly inconvenience her. Enough with the excuses for her. Had she declared the apple, and showed it to them, there is a possibility that they may not have even cared about it if it was still wrapped.

 

Which story makes a better stance for border security? A story that says you do not lie or you will be fined and have your global entry revoked, or you can decide what you choose is important to declare? Border patrol is not always about terrorism.

[BirdTravels]

This is all completely irrelevant. Had she declared the apple these facts may have meant she could keep it (the purpose of declaring food is so they can check whether it’s safe, not necessarily to take it away) but she’s made a false declaration which is a serious offence.

You got it!

 

All of this discussion on where the apple was grown and how it got on he plane are totally irrelevant. The issue is that she made a false declaration. And there is whatever the interchange was with customs to get her slapped with a fine. You hear a lot of “victim noises” that the mainstream media is feeding on. But there was likely something above a apology for making a mistake behind closed doors that resulted I the fine.

[nelblu]

You got it!

 

All of this discussion on where the apple was grown and how it got on he plane are totally irrelevant. The issue is that she made a false declaration. And there is whatever the interchange was with customs to get her slapped with a fine. You hear a lot of “victim noises” that the mainstream media is feeding on. But there was likely something above a apology for making a mistake behind closed doors that resulted I the fine.

 

Some years we bought a couple of ham sandwiches with us when we cruised from San Juan on the Adventure. One of us had it in a rolling bag and I had mine in knapsack. At the airport, the German Shepard smelled the sandwich in the rolling bag as it was lower to the ground, but did not smell mine which was draped over my shoulder. The agent pulled us over and opened the bag only to his disappointment it wasn't any drugs, etc. He simply confiscated the identified sandwich.

[RJake1]

If I'm on the jury I vote not guilty.

 

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[RJake1]

If she simply forgot that she had the Apple, then she wasn't lying. The act of lying requires intent to conceal the truth.

 

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[Paulxyz2004]

In fairness, the Apple was served to her by a U.S. airline and it was sealed/wrapped by the airline. The intent of the U.S. Customs rule is to avoid smugling agricultural products from another country due to risk of disease, harmful bacteria, contaminants, etc. I can understand her thinking that since she did not acquire the apple in a foreign country that it need not be declared. Maybe Delta actually loaded the apples onto the plane in the U.S.? In any event, she did not bring it from another country. I think she has a strong legal argument.

 

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She has no legal argument at all. While I don´t know if Delta does roundtrip catering, I rather doubt this apple was from the US. In any event she surely did bring in the apple from another country, that´s unless Paris and France are part of the US now. :rolleyes:

If it wasn´t brought in from another country how and why was she going through immigration and customs?

It doesn´t matter from where the apple came originally.

 

If I´d be on the jury I´d vote guilty as guilty can be.

[ditmar2007]

I confess.

 

Me too. ;p

 

Me three :)

[broberts]

If she simply forgot that she had the Apple, then she wasn't lying. The act of lying requires intent to conceal the truth.

 

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That is why border agents typically ask the questions multiple times. After that they can rightfully presume that the person is lying. Willful ignorance is not an excuse.

[anankae]

Yes there is specifically a question on the Customs declaration form which she would have filled out on the airplane which states "I am bringing fruits, vegetables, plants, seeds, food, insects [YES] [NO]." Then you sign the form affirming you have made a "truthful declaration".

 

I know I was the exception, but my last cruise I was not given a customs form to fill out. I got separated from my partner at immigration and I'm pretty sure the agent processing me figured the one who processed my partner took care of it. I even asked, and she was like don't worry about it.

 

Talking to my partner later about it he said the guy doing him asked him if he had anything to declare and he said hell if I know, ask her, she always does it (referring to me). It got dropped after that.

 

Another time crossing the border from Mexico into Texas, I realized I had picked a lime off a tree and mentioned it when they asked about produce. They didn't take it from me cause they were distracted with some other issue with us and it slipped through the cracks.

[wrp96]

Even if she wasn't lying, or she really did forget, etc, she had global entry. People with global entry are held to a higher standard in exchange for less scrutiny when passing immigration/customs. She was told at her interview that any violations could result in a fine and revocation of her global entry. In fact, if her fine was $500, that is the 2nd offense fine, so she'd already gotten off once.

[Valiamo]

Even if she wasn't lying, or she really did forget, etc, she had global entry. People with global entry are held to a higher standard in exchange for less scrutiny when passing immigration/customs. She was told at her interview that any violations could result in a fine and revocation of her global entry. In fact, if her fine was $500, that is the 2nd offense fine, so she'd already gotten off once.

 

 

 

This the only right answer!

 

The Customs agents at our interview strongly reminded us again, and again, declare any food items, even a stick of gum. I alway say yes to this question, be it via the form, kiosk or electronically. Never a single problem.

 

 

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[FionaMG]

Those beagles have really sharp noses. We recently ended up in the Naughty Room at Miami because the cute little dog picked up on the lingering scent of the bananas that we had brought to eat on the flight, even though they were long gone by the time we landed!

[sft429]

Apparently the US isn't as forgiving as Australia. Netflix has a series about Customs and Border Patrol (probably not their name) in Australia. They get a large number of Asians who bring in months worth of groceries for their stay and don't declare it on their forms. When it is something like this apple, served by an airline it is destroyed and the traveler warned. Fascinating show - Border Patrol

 

The one from Australia is called "Nothing to Declare". Canada, England, USA, and Ireland all have their own border patrol tv shows. On Sky Living channel for you streamers.

[tamilyn]

The last two cruises we were on (January 2018/Independence and March 2018/Navigator), there were no customs forms. We inquired about them at Guest Services before getting off the ship and were told they were no longer needed. We were asked nothing when going through customs in Ft. Lauderdale in January. When we went through customs in Miami in March we were only asked if we had any alcohol in our luggage. We could have had a whole bushel of apples and no one would have known!

[Valiamo]

The last two cruises we were on (January 2018/Independence and March 2018/Navigator), there were no customs forms. We inquired about them at Guest Services before getting off the ship and were told they were no longer needed. We were asked nothing when going through customs in Ft. Lauderdale in January. When we went through customs in Miami in March we were only asked if we had any alcohol in our luggage. We could have had a whole bushel of apples and no one would have known!

 

 

 

I would suspect that if your cruise was coming in from overseas, TransAtlantic, that the questioning would be considerably different than if you were just doing a closed loop cruise. Most of the islands are not supplying agricultural goods that are commonly banned from entry. CBA at a typical cruise port is nowhere as strict as those in an international setting. Rarely see sniffer dogs, unless the ship has hit Jamaica or Mexico.