I bit off topic and as Euromat is posting, a few years ago we were doing a tour in the UK, mostly the A type concert places of the time, I was working for Light and Sound Design from Birmingham. For some reason we ended up doing a large night club place in Bradford, Too small for the amount of gear we were carrying and on the load out we had an impressive line of flightcases mounting up in the street outside waiting to load into the trucks. After around an hour an equally impressive amount of Police descended and put us all up against the wall while they went through all the flightcases we had just packed, mostly the light cases from Light and Sound Design as they are marked up and better known as the company LSD. Any attempt to explain the stenciled LSD as anything else than a drug was put straight down. The worst they could find was the dimmer technicians flightcase full of his collection of ladies underwear, which I believe he was given by ladies rather than wearing it, but more than made up for the police intrusion with his rather lame reason for having all of this.
When arriving back in Dover after a crossing on a Tour bus we were always stopped, early nineties for sure. One time we had slept all the way to the ferry and most had stayed in there bunks, The tour manager had stressed whatever you have on you, bin it before we leave France, but as we docked on of the guys went white and had forgotten that he had some weed, so it was a tense time as we drove of the ferry and sure enough we were pulled in. We lined up outside with passports and just as they started to board our bus another tour bus pulled up and a naked American got off a bit worse for wear and peed all down his bus in front of the customs chaps, so we were forgotten and on our way.
Since euromat and drew128 are posting, it sparked one of my memories of the music scene. I was driving a small truck loaded with PA, lights, some of our back line and our crew. The 2 bands, about 12 people altogether, shared an airport type coach driven by the tour manager. This was also loaded with their own back line.
At the end of the tour, the “star” of the headlining band was taken to Genoa airport to catch a flight home, so we toddled along to wave farewell. Not long after our 2-vehicle convoy arrived at the airport, we were surrounded by numerous Carabinieri who promptly lined the lot of us up against a wall. They made us assume “the position.” Then the sniffer dog did his work.
No problems with me or my guys, so next came the “turn out,” which was everything unloaded and opened, including our suitcases. Again, no problems for me, our equipment or my guys. However, the same can’t be said for the other vehicle. One by one, just about everybody on board the other vehicle was led away, presumably to “assist” with enquiries. Their gear was strewn about on the floor, and God only knows how long they were delayed, or what happened to them. I’d been paid my balance at the end of the last show, but I’m so glad that I didn’t offer to carry any of their gear for them. Earlier in the tour, I’d been tempted to be nice to them, because I had space, whilst their equipment was quite a squeeze to get to fit on board their vehicle. I consider that I had a very lucky escape that day.
There were some clues that I’d spotted:
I was told in advance that they play reggae music, (That’s a biggie )
The guy flying home was going to Kingston, Jamaica,
All of them wore big red, yellow and green hats,
Most of them smoked very large hand-rolled cigarettes, which had a strange aroma to them.
DAFMAD:
Hello Dave, you have some valid points, but, I do still feel things need to start somewhere. I still say name and shame and get the ball rolling, as it is, it seems nothing is done. It also seems that a lot of those dodgy loads come from places in the Barcelona vicinity, but no-one says who or where. Wouldn’t you rather know who or where to steer well clear of ?
If its the forky that been bribed then still avoid, let the company find who’s responsible afterwards.
I’ll bet the French know
Several drivers in Perpignan prison have one thing in common… they all loaded for or at Spain Tir in Brcelona
I know it a bit far fetched but it’d be cool if you were equipped with your very own sniffer dog, then watch the trailer being loaded and see the faces of the scum
euromat:
i dont get to look in every box if its flight cases im delivering, but it doenst really cross my mind
it’d never happen in rock n roll transport would it think it’d cross mine mate
we had a driver back in the early 90s who used OTHER drivers’ demount legs to stash his weed (not commercial amounts but enough, more than personal use anyway) coming back into UK - until we found out about it, disgusting trick
totally unrelated of course, anyone know a driver called garry digby from essex?
Ayup,maybe someone should read Mr.Nice by Howard Marks.Lots of flight cases and Amps. full of gear being transported in USA and Europe and that was 30yrs ago,theres more stuff around now maybe and lots of tours going on now,all the old bands getting some pension money
What about vehicle recovery trucks/drivers. The RAC/AA contract companies to travel abroad collecting broken down or accident damaged vehicles. It would be easy to fill the sills, piston cylinders or whatever with just about anything. Nicking the driver for it is just an easy cop out for the investigation team. They couldn’t care less who’s guilty, they’re only interested in a conviction.
When I did Morocco, the customers would regularly hide boxes of labels for return to the UK. Quality control people from the UK would have their personal boxes of stuff hidden in amongst the load as well for when they go home on holiday.
Nobody gives a toss about the driver. The drivers just a monkey behind a wheel, easily replaced at two a penny.
df1:
Is it still reservation 5(a) on the new CMR’s. In box 8, I assume.
Anyone know where to get a list of these reservations ?
would not make the sightest bit of diference especially in France
why ?
because you would not get done for smuggling
you get done for transporting, something which you cannot deny as it has been found in your vehicle/trailer which you have been driving. Unfortunately there is no allowance for with or without knowledge of the driver.
[quote="Vascoingles Unfortunately there is no allowance for with or without knowledge of the driver.[/quote]
Which as good as guarentees them a conviction in France, over here the charge is; ‘being knowingly concerned in the fraudulent evasion of the prohibition upon importation of goods’.
The important word being “knowingly”, not much help if your being held on remand in The Bastile!!!
Vascoingles:
Several drivers in Perpignan prison have one thing in common… they all loaded for or at Spain Tir in Brcelona
Our driver had loaded out of Spain TIR, but in Alicante.
there seems to be a bit of a pattern here. from what I can gather, the pallet with the contraband had the consigner and consignee address marked on it,
I don’t know if the French were too bothered about them though as neither were based in France.
our driver was released after nearly a year in Prison
Did a UK company get away with a consigment,due to receiving a fax order from a freight forwarder,and everyday all hauliers carry out business this way,and the company would have no knowledge of what was being sent.Customs did a raid,seized all the mobile phones,but got off all charges.Funny how a eurostar train or ferry and airline pilot would also have no knowledge of what their cargo and passengers were carrying on their mode of transport.But truckers allways guilty.
toby1234abc:
Funny how a eurostar train or ferry and airline pilot would also have no knowledge of what their cargo and passengers were carrying on their mode of transport.But truckers allways guilty.
Begs the question about coach drivers, how would they do if a suit was found containing contraband was found in is bus?? We’re alway guilty 'till proven inocent.
Vascoingles:
All of the excuses and reasons pointed out in the answers to this post HAVE ALL been used as arguments in the past to absolutely no effect.
All those and plenty more Paul, fill this box, write this on CMR, use seals etc etc!
Try telling that to all the drivers I was locked up with in Perpignan. As you are charged with Transporting and Importing Illegal or Contraband goods into France, your guilty as it’s on your lorry and you can’t deny that fact!
Whether you knew about it is completely immaterial as was pointed out to me by the Judge d’Instruction!
WHY is it if contra was loaded in Spain,it is allways the Douanes that get their man in France and not Spanish customs,of which you never see,except in Gib or on the borders.How does MR BIG infiltrate the big transport depots,perhaps he/she as status in an authoritive way,thus eluding any suspicion,hiding behind goverment office and has contacts in road transport.This all takes planning.
toby1234abc:
WHY is it if contra was loaded in Spain,it is allways the Douanes that get their man in France and not Spanish customs,of which you never see,except in Gib or on the borders.How does MR BIG infiltrate the big transport depots,perhaps he/she as status in an authoritive way,thus eluding any suspicion,hiding behind goverment office and has contacts in road transport.This all takes planning.
There a quite a few hundred in various Spanish prisons as well don’t worry about that, the ones who really get a hard time are those in the Morroccan prisons though.
Old prison near Poligno Valongo,industrial estate in Alicante,lot of tennis balls hanging from the windows,we can guess what they get thrown in.New one on the split from Alicante to Valencia,short cut route,or the interior route.Film called “Midnight express”,shed image of Turkish prison system,as an American tourist was caught with contra on a plane.
Their gear was strewn about on the floor, and God only knows how long they were delayed, or what happened to them. I’d been paid my balance at the end of the last show, but I’m so glad that I didn’t offer to carry any of their gear for them. Earlier in the tour, I’d been tempted to be nice to them, because I had space, whilst their equipment was quite a squeeze to get to fit on board their vehicle. I consider that I had a very lucky escape that day.
)
Most of them smoked very large hand-rolled cigarettes, which had a strange aroma to them. 
think it’d cross mine mate