The same thing happened with a co-worker that brought a Donzi speed boat from the States. He got 2 warnings. The third warning involved hand cuffs. He caved and told the truth. He got fined to the hilt and now gets flagged every time he crosses the border.
This was 5 years ago.

 

Thanks for the warning, Zookie, I'll keep it in mind.

 

tick tick booom

back to topic... there is a canadian rennlist member who was in the similar situation... i think he had to Pay Double Tax and some other Legal Fee's aswell... Car ended up costing him more than he saved intially

 

Having recently imported a car and having declared full price for it, I can tell you that the Cdn customs agents treat you as if you're trying to cheat.

I wasn't, so I didn't sweat it, but they took my entire backpack and went through it to see if they could find any evidence suggesting I paid more.

At every step various officers casually asked questions, pretending that they were excited about my purchase, to try to find out if I paid a deposit (which wouldn't show on my bank draft).

I was totally truthful, but someone whose not a financial guy may not see what it is they're really asking. It would be very easy to get caught if you wernt truthful IMO.

 

+1

They will seize the car, the asphalt the car is on, the air that is in the car and outside the car, the clouds above the car, everyone who thinks about the car, etc...

Not a good move,

T.

 

I was in a separate interview room at the same time they were grilling him. The chair I sat in was bolted on the floor, too far away from the desk.
I stuck to the story in the face of incredible fear, answered my questions then sat in wait.........
In my 2nd interview they told me that I had been aiding my friend because he told them the truth and I didn't need to lie anymore.
Everything they say to you is designed to get you to give them clues

 

I've been grilled in that room. And the "other room". They lie to you, try to trick you, etc... They called my wife at home, the seller in Georgia.... Just tell the truth. Don't waiver.

Interestingly, they only interrogated me AFTER I paid the duty and taxes. They specifically waited until the crime had (allegedly) been done.

 

Yes I have experience with all this and it is all bang on truth ..
they wait to grill you after you pay .. this is totally intentional because you now cant say .. 'what I meant was ... " sometimes even the guy at the booth for goods says "i am gonna give you one last chance ..... if you then fess up you are okay because you havent payed yet. ..once you pay and are walking away .. your doomed if they stop you . Because as of that point you are smuggling.

On the first offence it is normal to pay double the duty and taxes .. that is why they charge you twice what you tried to rip them off . best case is double + fines . ... not sure what will happen with this guy .. maybe just a massive fine and get to keep the car unless they want to make an example out of him ..

The only thing that pisses me off is the fact I go over a lot to specifically to buy / pick up parts and most of the agents know me treat me with respect as i always claim , always have my receipts in order and always pay.

sometimes I will get a wanna be cop inside the building and they treat you like a criminal and you havent done anything wrong .. all the questions mentioned above and the grillings .. makes me very nervous and i KNOW im innocent .. so disrespectful...

.. so i shaved of my goat-tee, all good again ..

 

Sounds like confession time - in which case been there done that with a motorcycle in the early 2000's (admittedly when I was marginally younger/more foolish and had less disposable income). Both bike and F-150 rental which the bike was sitting on were seized (for a brief period of time). Paid the double duty penalty and got on my merry way. Haven't brought anything over since so I'm not sure if I'm still on 'the list' or not.

 

Does that mean that I cannot give my American friend money to buy a car, pay all state taxes, register it in his name, then just drive it to Canada and continue using it with US plates under his name? Its illegal to "lend" your friend money? It's illegal to "borrow" his car for a "few" months? If the car is registered to an American citizen, how can CRA keep it? Sounds like a half-assed lawyer can sort this out in a month. Unless, of course, Mohammad The Idiot spilled his guts...
Even then his American friend can say that he knew nothing about his buddy wanting to keep this car. As far as he was concerned his buddy borrowed it. Now give it back! And they will!

 

how is the car insured in this theoretical example?

 

In Canada, I can lend my vehicle to anyone with a driver's license. He can then drive it in the states and, in case of an accident, my insurance policy will cover everything. I assume, it would work the same way. Maybe I am wrong. I have to ask this one guy that i know. He is driving around in a Cayenne Turbo with Florida plates.

 

You can steal millions from your neighbour and the government won't really do anything but try to save a couple thousand in taxes and they will interogate you like terrorist... Now if they would only use some of this energy to catch all these corporations that hide billions off-shore. I wonder what your rights are at a border crossing. I know that they are allowed to search you because by crossing the border it is implied that you consent to a search but I wonder if they are allowed to detain you and interogate you if your are not under arrest. Not that I want to break the law but I hate having my rights trampled on by a power hungry wanta-be. I pay enough income taxes to deserve some respect, no?

 

I bet some secret government search engine just red flagged this thread

 

re: driving with US plates...

My bro-in-law got transferred to a job in the states in Virginia. He bought a VW GTI down there.... finally when the project was over (I think it took like 18months) he drove it back to Canada with Virginia plates.... He was able to hold onto it until it was time to renew the tags. At that time, it would cost too much to import or some such thing... he ended up selling it wholesale to a VW dealer in Buffalo, and brought the cash back home.....