Customs Dodges

[Doc Vernon]

John mate,
Yes i fully recall doing just that so many times,and its starnge how the Cops at the Gate just let them through,well i suppose it was a share thing!
But that way we got so much stuff through it was dead easy!
Cheers
Vernon

Bless the Cabbies!!

[happy daze john in oz]

ref post#11

Well I guess the wages for cops was not so good in those days, that was their 'second' job. Could have been anearly form of GST, Get some Through.

[Alanrae]

It was the same in Gladstone dock,Liverpool.Used to wrap half a crown in your pass and hand it to the copper at the gate when you were paying off.Once went out with a small holdall and a pass but decided not to bother with the half crown-you guessed it-got hauled into the gatehouse and the bag emptied(not that there was much in it)kept me there for half an hour and I missed my train home.Alan

[alf corbyn]

hi lads. once smuggled five hundred ciggies out of southampton dock.
made a parcel with brown paper and string plus some sealing wax on the joins, walked up to the copper on the gate and asked him "how far to the post office as i had to post this for the skipper". i already knew the post office was built into the dock wall. "your in luck he said its just there" pointing to the door. easiest con i ever did. cheers. alf

[Doc Vernon]

ref post#14

Hey Alf,
I wonder if you are still that carfty mate haha!
Good one that was!
If you think long enough its easy to pull the Wool !
Cheers
Vernon

[Eddie Wallace]

I remember paying off in Middlesburg and no sign of the rummagers so every body got their contraband and made of to the station .there the customs men had taken over the waiting room and caught most of crew with cigaretes and booze.I thought that was real sneeky.

[alf corbyn]

hi vernon. three of us were standing on aldgate east underground platform and talking about customs and one lad started boasting about all the cigs and baccy and a watch he had smuggled past customs. suddenly a bloke standing near us showed his card and nicked him. he was a customs man and told us he could nick you anywhere. cheers. alf

[Doc Vernon]

ref post17


Hi Alf,
Now thats what i call just sheer bad luck mate! You wouldnt believe it would you!
Oh well win some loose some haha!
That wasnt you was it haha!
Cheers
Vernon

[happy daze john in oz]

Remember one of th epubs I owned. Two guys walked in ordered a drink and food. Sat and ate, and just before closing time told me they were customs and excise and needed to test strength of spirits. Asked them why they had acted in the manner they did to be told that was how they caught out publicans that did not do it by the book, they sat and watched. Crafty buggers. They also told me they have the right to inspect pubs at any time of day or night.

[Geoff Anderson]

ref post#19

hi john. and they can order the cops about.one of the guys i used to go sailing with, was a customs man. [gst department], he was telling us that he could order a cop to arrest you ,the cop had to obey him.they can even stop you from leaving the country. they have great powers so watch out!. as an example one of the sailing girls was having problems with an ex boyfriend.and it ended up he would stalk her. she booked a holiday and he booked the same holiday etc ,she let this customs man know what was happening. the ex boyfriend never caught the flight .he was stopped at the airport.full bodysearch the works. left the airport 8hrs later.he also had a full audit of his books done. and they got him for fraud and tax evasion.
so i learned . never p--- off a customs man
best wishes geoff