Just wanted to report back. We came through the border yesterday afternoon at 4:30 - we were the only car crossing. Our SUV was loaded with stuff because we had been down there for a week. The extremely unfriendly Mexican border guy - yes, he was a Mexican with a heavy accent who has obviously become a very persnickety US Citizen, gave us the big stink eye when he decided that my Mexican husband (who is a legal permanent resident) looked a little too Mexican for his taste. He asked me 3 times if I knew the "man" sitting next to me. HUH??? Yeah, like I'm stupid enough to pick up a strange Mexican man from the side of the road and try to cross him. He called over the lady border agent with the dog and they got out the mirror. The lady was knocking all over the sides of the SUV while the dog sniffed to see if we had drugs inside the panels of the SUV, I'm sure.
During this time, the Mexican guy asked me 3 times where I worked, what I do for a living, does my husband have any other ID with a photo (his Mexican passport and DL!), where were we, what did we do, while down there and did I bring back any fruits or vegetables. Never asked about alcohol.
So the lady agent comes back around and gives the Mexican agent the "look". He says to her, "I think we need to check this one out reeeaaaaallll gooood, what do you think?" She says, "Definitely". At this point I want to piss my pants and scream at the same time. We had 3 cases of beer in the back under the suitcases!!!! LOL OK, so what's the worst thing that could happen, we dump the beer or pay a fine? I've crossed tons of beer in the past, but never had to go to secondary.
So we pull over to Lane 1 of the secondary inspection area. We're told to leave our cell phones and the car keys on the dashboard - I can take my purse with me - and then we're escorted inside. We wait - and wait - and wait - 30 minutes later, a new guy (white guy) comes in and says do you have any alcohol to declare? I said (in my best dummy voice), "Well, no, not alcohol, just beer." He says, "Beer is alcohol and you can only cross with 1 liter per person." I said that I thought that rule only applied to hard alcohol like tequila. He said, no, beer included. So I just sit there like a dummy and he says, "Well, if you won't tell, I won't tell, and you can cross with the beer." I proceed to tell him twice, "No, I don't want to do anything wrong." He tells me not to worry about it, it's okay.
He then tells us that they've unpacked the entire car, and if we want them too, they will repack it, or we can do it like we want to. He actually offered to repack the car?!?!???? I was stunned.
We repacked ourselves and headed out and that was it! First time since 1997 I've ever been pulled over for secondary! Those 3 cases of Corona are gonna taste even better now!
During this time, the Mexican guy asked me 3 times where I worked, what I do for a living, does my husband have any other ID with a photo (his Mexican passport and DL!), where were we, what did we do, while down there and did I bring back any fruits or vegetables. Never asked about alcohol.
So the lady agent comes back around and gives the Mexican agent the "look". He says to her, "I think we need to check this one out reeeaaaaallll gooood, what do you think?" She says, "Definitely". At this point I want to piss my pants and scream at the same time. We had 3 cases of beer in the back under the suitcases!!!! LOL OK, so what's the worst thing that could happen, we dump the beer or pay a fine? I've crossed tons of beer in the past, but never had to go to secondary.
So we pull over to Lane 1 of the secondary inspection area. We're told to leave our cell phones and the car keys on the dashboard - I can take my purse with me - and then we're escorted inside. We wait - and wait - and wait - 30 minutes later, a new guy (white guy) comes in and says do you have any alcohol to declare? I said (in my best dummy voice), "Well, no, not alcohol, just beer." He says, "Beer is alcohol and you can only cross with 1 liter per person." I said that I thought that rule only applied to hard alcohol like tequila. He said, no, beer included. So I just sit there like a dummy and he says, "Well, if you won't tell, I won't tell, and you can cross with the beer." I proceed to tell him twice, "No, I don't want to do anything wrong." He tells me not to worry about it, it's okay.
He then tells us that they've unpacked the entire car, and if we want them too, they will repack it, or we can do it like we want to. He actually offered to repack the car?!?!???? I was stunned.
We repacked ourselves and headed out and that was it! First time since 1997 I've ever been pulled over for secondary! Those 3 cases of Corona are gonna taste even better now!
