Explosives in Motorhomes

[ElliesBoss]

Went through Dover this morning and were pulled over into a shed. Guy went round the Moho with some gadget and said we were good to go. I asked what he was looking for and he said explosives. Any other of dodgy looking Funsters been searched for same? We thought he was looking for our half pint of milk.

 

[Abacist]

They are concerned about terrorism attacks! A bomb on the tunnel train or a cross channel ferry would be a huge propaganda win for a terrorist organisation!

These searches are a regular feature on most crossings and should be regarded as no different to the comprehensive searches carried out at airports a precursors to flights and the restrictions about the volumes of liquids carried and bags being scanned and searched if necessary.

 

[MattR]

Went through Dover this morning and were pulled over into a shed. Guy went round the Moho with some gadget and said we were good to go. I asked what he was looking for and he said explosives. Any other of dodgy looking Funsters been searched for same? We thought he was looking for our half pint of milk.

We've had it done to us few times.

 

[suavecarve]

Yep, few times going out, cant remember one coming back

 

[trophychap]

Almost every time we go through customs we are stopped and asked about guns, knives etc. ANPR flags my vehicle as I have a Gun Licence, never been searched only asked if I am carrying any. Quite usual to have the steering wheel checked with the sniffer device they use.

Don't have anything smelling of almonds with you especially Marzipan LOL.

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[jockaneezer]

I nearly missed a flight from Manchester after they took away my small Berghaus rucksack I was taking on as hand luggage and thought I was heading for a "cavity search" !
They never gave any reason, but a pal in the same line of business had similar and apparently it was down to "aluminium residue" on the outside of the bag, which is a common ingredient in home made explosives ? I'd been using my rucksack as my bait/snap bag for work in an aluminium plant for years !

 

[SM0129]

Came back through Dover a couple of years ago. We were approaching the Border Force / Customs "booth" when there seemed signs of general panic from the officials. As we pulled forward we were directed into the shed.

Once in the shed we were approached by an officer who asked if we had any idea why we were pulled over- to which we replied we didn't. He then proceeded to inform us that our car had set of the radioactive sensors!! At that point we turned around and pointed to our friend and said he needed to speak to her (a month or so prior to the trip she had to take a "radioactive" capsule due to an issue with her lymph nodes) Once she explained what had happened the officer then said he had to go an fill out a form- he was gone for 10 or so minutes- I thought he was pretty relaxed about it and I suspect that they were somehow listening into our conversation- my friend was in tears and I said she wasn't going to get arrested for having a medical procedure.

They then let us go and I was happy for a while until I realised I may have a future problem!! I was travelling bqck to my house in France 10 days later and I had no idea if my friend being in the car would have left a "reading" I would then struggle on the return trip when I would be the only person in the car. Its not like you can buy a geiger counter at Halfords to check, or get the car valeted and ask them to hoover up and readings.

I have to say I was pretty impressed that they have sensors at Dover that can pick up a signal on a person sitting inside of a car.

 

[ElliesBoss]

By the way I'm not complaining about it. Just that I've been going backwards and forwards across the channel for many years in various vehicles and never been searched for explosives before.

 

[ChrisSue]

Some years ago we went on the tunnel with friends in separate cars. The other couple told us to pull up and wait for them after customs. We told them they'd be fine. They said no they will be stopped. They were. It turned out that Tina had once tried to board a plane with a tiny pair of nail scissors in her handbag. Ever since they are checked every time

 

[PP Bear]

Went through Dover this morning and were pulled over into a shed. Guy went round the Moho with some gadget and said we were good to go. I asked what he was looking for and he said explosives. Any other of dodgy looking Funsters been searched for same? We thought he was looking for our half pint of milk.

Search all the time when coming back on leave.

We regularly transported ammo, weapons and explosives in the boot, which would send the sniffers into overdrive when we were checked

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[Just smiffy]

I got pulled over on a flight in my wheelchair for “explosives” they asked if I live on a farm, no I said but do live in the countryside near farms, fertiliser probably on my wheels did it….

 

[Orion]

Came back into Gatwick from Hungary with a group after a week of driven wild boar and one of the party found a live round in the bottom of his jacket pocket. This was after retrieving the firearms and ammunition from the secure police/border force area and passing through all the enhanced checking procedures both ends!

 

[gus-lopez]

These searches are a regular feature on most crossings

Never even seen it done rto anyone let alone had it done to my vehicle? same re; swabbing steering wheel.

 

[NigelNovice]

I've got a Sternal wire around me Sternum following open heart surgery, fun going through customs trying to hold your jeans up as you have already taken your belt off and then make the pose with arms up, find it easier to lift me shirt and show them me zipper before going through and then there's SWMBO with her metal knee causing havoc in the next line

 

[Tea Bag]

Hi.
Regularly in the lorry at the tunnel. Steering wheel/gear lever and pedals. The swab, looked like a piece of sponge on a couple of wire rods.
Tea Bag

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[Chris]

My phone came up with something at gatwick once that suggested drug use.

I am a bad boy but I don’t do drugs so I am not sure their machines are very good.

 

[TheBig1]

I thought they were after bacon, not bangers!

 

[TheBig1]

I can't go through customs without the proper paperwork from my doctor and have to go through a very long list of medications. Still can't even try to enter some countries despite the evidence

 

[stevewagner]

Had the MH scanned in Calais a few years ago

 

[Outdoors Dad]

Went through Newcastle airport security holding my little boys hand when I got pulled in to describe everything in my hand luggage. I'm half asleep it's 6am I explain nothing out of the ordinary! I had to carefully unpack my rucksack until I found a knife! I had used an old rucksack I used for sea fishing and the knife had got stuck in the lining and I didn't realise I explained mistake....no fuss and they even offered to post it home for me. I had to jog through to WHSmith and buy a full strip of stamps, they put it in an envelope I put my address on it...and off we went to Portugal. Except the wife constantly nagged me saying if they do post the knife I hope it doesn't crack the tiles in the hallway when it lands.......got home 8 days later it was there no cracked tiles.
Next holiday bought a sea angler mag before security to read on plane got to security same thing as above...the magazine came with free 'day lights' stuck on front.....these were confiscated...no fuss continued through security to otherside got to WHS and you guessed it the same magazine for sale with free 'day lights' stuck on front....madness

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[Abacist]

Never even seen it done rto anyone let alone had it done to my vehicle? same re; swabbing steering wheel.

We have done Santander each twice in the last 2 years and were physically entered and had to open garage for inspection both at Plymouth by a security company and by the Garda Civil in Santander. Not just us but everyone

 

[TheTwoOfUs]

I was pulled over to one side in Portsmouth when we got off the ferry from Cherbourg. Guy checked underneath with a mirror on a stick. You probably think that’s pretty normal except I was on the motorbike.

 

[Burgo]

The thick end of twenty years ago, when we still lived in Bristol, just before Xmas we flew from Lulsgate to Newcastle to see Mrs. B's brother and family and take up some pressies she had bought for his seven year old son and slightly older daughters.

Yrs trly went through the scanner arch first and succesfully retrieved his bag and accoutrements from the xray scanner belt. Whilst rethreading my belt through my jeans I glanced back, and noticed that Mrs. B had, rather swiftly, attracted a larger than normal circle of males playing close attention to her, as well as a couple of fellows who were "worthy of close attention" who had materialised at a distance.

Not wishing to spoil her fun, I sauntered off to the side and occupied myself with the aforementioned belt, in order to observe events while wondering what she'd done this time.

After some discussion, it transpired that the scanners can detect a cast monkey metal imitation Glock17 spud gun, even under a layer of Christmas wrapping paper and half a roll of cheap imitation sellotape, and despite being the close proximity of two similarly festively wrapped cabbage patch dolls, six pairs of shoes and all the assorted clothes, smalls, toiletries, etc required for a weekend.

Sorry, Patrick, no chrimbo toy this year, just a giant duty free Toblerone bar (I did suggest that as he was a Newcastle lad we bought him a bottle of Scotch instead, but for reasons unknown the idea was not best received).

 

[Sheddy]

My phone came up with something at gatwick once that suggested drug use.

I am a bad boy but I don’t do drugs so I am not sure their machines are very good.

Probably French made scanning gear, and your definitely on their list

 

[orridge]

Never even seen it done rto anyone let alone had it done to my vehicle? same re; swabbing steering wheel.

Pretty much every time we come across in the Car get swabbed luck of the draw if both lanes are full with cars they wave through the rest of the traffic.

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[rod_vw]

Steering wheel checked travelling both ways every time we cross the channel via the tunnel and has been the same for years.

 

[EuroTrotters]

Went through Dover this morning and were pulled over into a shed. Guy went round the Moho with some gadget and said we were good to go. I asked what he was looking for and he said explosives. Any other of dodgy looking Funsters been searched for same? We thought he was looking for our half pint of milk.

No, but you can drive from Amsterdam without a passport and and a van full of drugs and we get yet we are the ones treated like criminals , mad !.

I think there is a need to concentrate in other areas . just easy pickings

 

[shawn&emma]

Crossed loads of times but got stopped on Monday at Escalles on D940 and had swab on steering wheel and door handle. Had to look on line to see what it was for. then got pulled over at customs and checked again.

 

[ctc]

Never got stopped when I pulled a caravan, too many shifty motorhomers giving us a bad reputation.