Customs Vehicle Check Belgium

[SteveRallye]

On way back to UK this week noticed an unmarked dark blue car with a dome on top (Camera?) a couple miles out on way into Zeebrugge port and out of the blue on the last roundabout before port a Police motorbike came zooming round us and waved us to follow him. In a big compound off the next roundabout he took us into a large compound manned by a large number of Police and customs We had to go over a speed type hump which I believe checked our weight and was asked for all our paperwork, told I would be breathalised (as it turned out I was not) and our diesel was checked. There were several other vehicles in being checked but could not say they were all Brits. They were very curteous and we were soon cleared to go. Its the 1st time ever stopped abroad so I wonder if this is going to be the new normal. Spoke to a couple of other Bris with M/H and they were not stopped so it seems as though it was a spot check. One of the young officers said they had been out the day before doing the same in awful weather .

 

[Stealaway]

Was every motorhome catching the ferry - could they be looking for stowaways?
You will never know if they were looking for someone/something specific.

 

[Raul]

I had Zoll taken me of the motorway A3 in Germany near Frankfurt am main. Paper check and quick look inside, nothing more than routine.

 

[SteveRallye]

They did not check inside the M/H which surprised us, only when we got the ferry terminal.

 

[dosser]

Ive been checked at Hull inside van, roof box and engine bay.. Just your luck i suppose. Other times nothing..

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[TinaLes]

There must be some hidden agenda going on here, sounds like they are on some sort of mission to catch someone, hell knows what though.
I think Northernraider was also stopped coming home via Belgium last year, that was the first time I had read on here of any stops in Belgium, perhaps he was under suspicion for dog smuggling having fetched two from Spain.
LES

 

[SpeedyDux]

Some people have a face that attracts Customs officials / Douaniers / Plod / Gendarmes with breathalysers.

I appear to be one of them.

 

[Stoosal]

Probably routine multi agency check, same as carried out from time to time in UK by police, customs, VOSA, DWP etc. Check for red diesel, weights, insurance, vehicle roadworthiness, benefit claimants in work vehicles, drivers hours regs and so on?

 

[Lenny HB]

Didn't Northernraider get pulled like that in November.

 

[wasp]

We got checked in Le Havre and Dunkirk by them and different occasions

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[David and Sally]

Seen that before in that area. It's just simple Customs stuff AFAIK

 

[Northernraider]

Nope mine was completely different

They didn't check weight or diesel etc ...just completely ransacked the inside , were even in the fridge and my wallet , the broke a catch on the fridge and bent my outside step , turned out all clothes from overhead lockers etc , squirted toothpaste , shower gel and after sun in my bathroom sink


No idea what they were looking for...

Did all this in a quiet closed industrial estate on a sunday morning

Intimidating much

 

[bigfoot]

I was stopped coming off the Oresund bridge in Sweden by a lady officer. She asked me if there was anything I shouldn't have on board! That was it!

 

[pelican]

I was stopped coming off the Oresund bridge in Sweden by a lady officer. She asked me if there was anything I shouldn't have on board! That was it!

What happened next?

 

[Brains]

What happened next?

That would be a Saga

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[Nanniemate]

They did a spot check on my parents van when they were returning through the Hooh. Same procedure every cupboard overhead locker, under and over did a very thorough check in fact so thorough they showed my parents what the key was that they had never worked out (luckily the safe was empty)
Once when my father and I were coming back, again the loo, overhead locker under and over the van. We had stayed on Calais harbour the night before .
My father said how worried he was, I wasn't as I had checked the van over when I 'put the rubbish in the bin' just before I got into the drivers seat to move off. Better safe than sorry

 

[Scotch mist]

Nope mine was completely different

They didn't check weight or diesel etc ...just completely ransacked the inside , were even in the fridge and my wallet , the broke a catch on the fridge and bent my outside step , turned out all clothes from overhead lockers etc , squirted toothpaste , shower gel and after sun in my bathroom sink


No idea what they were looking for...

Did all this in a quiet closed industrial estate on a sunday morning

Intimidating much

You’re privileged as they only pull the young good looking drivers ? (I’m safe )

 

[Cheshirecat57]

On way back to UK this week noticed an unmarked dark blue car with a dome on top (Camera?) a couple miles out on way into Zeebrugge port and out of the blue on the last roundabout before port a Police motorbike came zooming round us and waved us to follow him. In a big compound off the next roundabout he took us into a large compound manned by a large number of Police and customs We had to go over a speed type hump which I believe checked our weight and was asked for all our paperwork, told I would be breathalised (as it turned out I was not) and our diesel was checked. There were several other vehicles in being checked but could not say they were all Brits. They were very curteous and we were soon cleared to go. Its the 1st time ever stopped abroad so I wonder if this is going to be the new normal. Spoke to a couple of other Bris with M/H and they were not stopped so it seems as though it was a spot check. One of the young officers said they had been out the day before doing the same in awful weather .

Lets hope this is the “new normal” as you put it, I call it “ Customs officers doing their bloody jobs for once”