Guardia Civil Search

[Paulypaul]

Unless of course you have dietary needs such as gluten and/or dairy free, in which case you'll find that the selection and availability in both France and Spain are very limited.
Personally I can and will eat anything, but my partner isn't as fortunate. Saying that, I'd rather eat in a local restaurant or cafes than "The Red Lion" or a ficticious "Irish Bar"

 

[hja]

I think many would wish to empty their domestic fridge into the van before leaving. Even if you have run it down there will be stuff like milk and butter

 

[elamessa]

Simple solution.

When you go to vehicle deck. Take out banned foods. Put in cupboards or oven etc.

Go through customs. Stop, put gods stuffs back in fridge .

Simple

Or call into one of the numerous Iceland/Overseas stores dotted around the costa's for the banned items

 

[EuroTrotters]

Or call into one of the numerous Iceland/Overseas stores dotted around the costa's for the banned items

Just got two packs of thick back bacon from overseas foods .

reduced €5.50

 

[SpeedyDux]

Unless of course you have dietary needs such as gluten and/or dairy free, in which case you'll find that the selection and availability in both France and Spain are very limited.
Personally I can and will eat anything, but my partner isn't as fortunate. Saying that, I'd rather eat in a local restaurant or cafes than "The Red Lion" or a ficticious "Irish Bar"

Dairy-free is a challenge for me as well. Rather limited as you say.

When in France, I survive on a diet consisting mainly of baguettes with ham, egg, or tuna salad. Nowadays even the saucissons use whey or powdered milk as a filler. I tend to lose a bit of weight and feel healthier by the time I must head back. In a cafe or resto I can order a pizza without mozarella or ... a burger (steak haché) without bun but with frites. Duxette can eat anything she likes.

The things I carry for a quick meal while travelling include those John West tuna pasta salads. Very handy and no need to refrigerate. Or wash up.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[jumartoo]

Unless of course you have dietary needs such as gluten and/or dairy free, in which case you'll find that the selection and availability in both France and Spain are very limited.
Personally I can and will eat anything, but my partner isn't as fortunate. Saying that, I'd rather eat in a local restaurant or cafes than "The Red Lion" or a ficticious "Irish Bar"

Lots of Gluten free food in Mercadona. The owner has a child that's intolerant.

 

[gus-lopez]

Simple solution.

When you go to vehicle deck. Take out banned foods. Put in cupboards or oven etc.

Go through customs. Stop, put gods stuffs back in fridge .

Simple

I was just about to say them same.

Unless of course you have dietary needs such as gluten and/or dairy free, in which case you'll find that the selection and availability in both France and Spain are very limited.

As below mercadona has had them for over 20 years.

Lots of Gluten free food in Mercadona. The owner has a child that's intolerant.

Yes that is how they all came about . Other supermarkets are now getting on the bandwagon though.

 

[Tonks]

There's so little info about the original situation it's difficult to know how much notice to take of it.

They were searched and goods confiscated but what were these goods and how much was there? Was it just a small amount which would only have been for their own consumption, or large amounts which were likely for others and/or would be sold on? Was it high value stuff etc?

Taking stuff solely for yourself is one thing but doing it to supply others especially if for commercial gain is another thing entirely. No disrespect to the OP but unless there is clear evidence that this happened to a normal UK holiday traveller just taking a few bits for personal consumption I'll just pop it in my 'scaremongering and exaggeration ' file (aka rubbish bin).

There is no allowance for 'personal consumption' in the rules however, so if you're stopped and they do the checks with intent to pick up on foods illegally carried, it won't make any difference whether you have a single pint of milk or three shelves packed full of meat and dairy. Interestingly, it seems that some fridges are being checked but people aren't mentioning stuff being confiscated from other food containers/cupboards. Tins of meat etc are also forbidden...

 

[Howard H]

We arrived at Santander on the 30 dec 2022 and where one of the first off but also the first to be pulled by customs. Although we had a fridge full of cheese and meat they never came in the van but a very pleasant man wanted to know how much cash we where bringing in to spain, I told him and he wandered off with our passports came back 10 mins later returned them to us and a official looking document in Spanish . We where then waved on nothing was checked except passports , I dont know what that was all about

 

[jumar]

We arrived at Santander on the 30 dec 2022 and where one of the first off but also the first to be pulled by customs. Although we had a fridge full of cheese and meat they never came in the van but a very pleasant man wanted to know how much cash we where bringing in to spain, I told him and he wandered off with our passports came back 10 mins later returned them to us and a official looking document in Spanish . We where then waved on nothing was checked except passports , I dont know what that was all about

Interested to know what document you were presented with....any chance of a photo of it... first we have heard of such..Cheers

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[EuroTrotters]

Interested to know what document you were presented with....any chance of a photo of it... first we have heard of such..Cheers

I posted a similar document pre-brexit , not sure where it is now

 

[Howard H]

Interested to know what document you were presented with....any chance of a photo of it... first we have heard of such..Cheers

I am out now but will photo it tomorrow

 

[Howard H]

I am out now but will photo it tomorrow

 

[gus-lopez]

It says a cash &/or bank cheques check was carried out & you stated you had 200€ in cash

 

[jumar]

It says a cash &/or bank cheques check was carried out & you stated you had 200€ in cash

That's about it Richard...just a cash declaration....never known of this before....have you? I've been asked before outside Europe...but that's normal.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Howard H]

That's about it Richard...just a cash declaration....never known of this before....have you? I've been asked before outside Europe...but that's normal.

But that’s not even close to the amount we told him

 

[Burgo]

Unless of course you have dietary needs such as gluten and/or dairy free, in which case you'll find that the selection and availability in both France and Spain are very limited.
Personally I can and will eat anything, but my partner isn't as fortunate. Saying that, I'd rather eat in a local restaurant or cafes than "The Red Lion" or a ficticious "Irish Bar"

Actually all of the larger supermarkets in our area have a huge selection of gluten free, etc, items. El Campo in Motril has aisles full of all sorts, and all the small "health food" shops have many lines.

 

[Paulypaul]

Admittedly there seems to be more gluten free products although a lot of foods are naturally gluten free? The perceived increased amount of products available may be due to more accurate food labelling.

Try getting a pizza or decent cheese that's gluten and dairy free in France or Spain, and that's just 2 items that spring to mind. I don't think it's just France and Spain though?

 

[EuroTrotters]

View attachment 703705

that's the one I had, pre-brexit.

 

[Puddleduck]

Unless of course you have dietary needs such as gluten and/or dairy free, in which case you'll find that the selection and availability in both France and Spain are very limited.
Personally I can and will eat anything, but my partner isn't as fortunate. Saying that, I'd rather eat in a local restaurant or cafes than "The Red Lion" or a ficticious "Irish Bar"

You can get a medical certificate to take medical diet foods with you - even into the USA. They have to be branded commercial foods in unopened packets.

Lots of gf food available but it may be just codex (less than 20 ppm) rather than really gf. Goodfella's gf pizza contains wheat so not good for wheat allergy sufferers although easy to miss the wheat in the list of ingredients. Wheat free doesn't mean gf and gf might not mean gf. One learns by one's mistakes Beware of food made in the same factory as gluten products. I react to less than 2ppm gluten and reacted badly to this pizza.

Cross contamination is a nightmare which is why although fresh meat is naturally gf if the butcher also sells pies or sandwiches or even non-gf sausages it is risky. Been there, suffered that.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[gus-lopez]

That's about it Richard...just a cash declaration....never known of this before....have you? I've been asked before outside Europe...but that's normal.

I've heard of them asking as EuroTrotters said a while back but never seen a form given out?

 

[Verteuil Man]

We are crossing to France on Tuesday via Le Shuttle. We will see how the French are managing it.

Still waiting to hear how the chap that had stuff conflicted went on and what was taken.

I also find it a bit disheartening that some Funsters chuck in very negative remarks towards a post that is trying to inform.

 

[brynric]

We are crossing to France on Tuesday via Le Shuttle.

So are we, crossing mid-afternoon then heading towards Northern Spain. We’ll look out for a smiling face.

 

[Liverpoollass]

Hope the smile is customs waving you through

 

[Minxy]

There is no allowance for 'personal consumption' in the rules however, so if you're stopped and they do the checks with intent to pick up on foods illegally carried, it won't make any difference whether you have a single pint of milk or three shelves packed full of meat and dairy. Interestingly, it seems that some fridges are being checked but people aren't mentioning stuff being confiscated from other food containers/cupboards. Tins of meat etc are also forbidden...

If you only have a small amount even though still not allowed I would imagine that the size of the 'book' thrown at you would be much smaller than the library-full if you were deemed to be doing it commercially.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Verteuil Man]

So are we, crossing mid-afternoon then heading towards Northern Spain. We’ll look out for a smiling face.

Yes. Good luck. We have a few friends sailing on Monday.
We are on the Tunnel on Tuesday morning so we will see what the Douane are like.

 

[Lenny HB]

Newbies being trained.

No big news here, but for memory bank purposes I will add it to the ham sandwich 12 months ago in Holland as 2 confirmed occasions

You will have to discount the ham sandwich, that was a media set up.

 

[Burgo]

Try getting a pizza or decent cheese that's gluten and dairy free i

Eh? Cheese is gluten free, but by definition is dairy. Equally you can't make a pizza without using flour (gluten) and cheese (dairy) so a bit baffled as to how you'd ever expect to do it??

 

[Paulypaul]

Sainsbury do a gluten and dairy free pizza made by a company called "White Rabbit" which is as good as any normal pizza. You can get gluten free flour as well but getting the both in one product that doesn't taste like cats vomit on cardboard is a challenge in Spain and France. As I said, I can eat anything but I know how hard it is for people who can't.

 

[Paulypaul]

You can get a medical certificate to take medical diet foods with you - even into the USA. They have to be branded commercial foods in unopened packets.

Lots of gf food available but it may be just codex (less than 20 ppm) rather than really gf. Goodfella's gf pizza contains wheat so not good for wheat allergy sufferers although easy to miss the wheat in the list of ingredients. Wheat free doesn't mean gf and gf might not mean gf. One learns by one's mistakes Beware of food made in the same factory as gluten products. I react to less than 2ppm gluten and reacted badly to this pizza.

Cross contamination is a nightmare which is why although fresh meat is naturally gf if the butcher also sells pies or sandwiches or even non-gf sausages it is risky. Been there, suffered that.

Wow, that must be awful. My partner is wheat and gluten intolerant, not full blown coeliac and she finds it hard enough. She's also dairy intolerant so a simple thing like eating out is a nightmare, must be nearby impossible for you?

On the plus side, she's a cracking cook and does everything from scratch so I benefit from some lovely food. She just misses a nice pizza and some proper extra mature cheese.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}