News Release

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) releases 2011 calendar year-end statistics for Newfoundland and Labrador

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, March 21, 2012 – The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) reports that in 2011, more than 200 passenger cars, 5,000 aircraft, and 2,000 boats — carrying more than 180,000 travellers, and 4,000 commercial shipments—entered Canada via Newfoundland and Labrador's land, air, or marine ports of entry.

Canada's border services officers examine all persons and goods seeking entry to Canada at ports of entry, and some may be referred for more in-depth examinations, known as secondary examinations. These examinations may be for customs, immigration, or on behalf of another government department such as the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Secondary examinations of individual travellers resulted in a total of 43 seizure actions. Of these, eight were drug-related, 16 were alcohol-related, and another five were tobacco-related.

Several secondary examinations also resulted in prohibited food, plant, and animal-related goods being seized from travellers coming into the country, including a set of reindeer antlers.  These were seized due to a lack of a permit, and turned over to Environment Canada's Wildlife Enforcement Branch.

CBSA officers in Newfoundland and Labrador removed five persons from Canada and prevented 191 persons from entering Canada.

In 2011, CBSA criminal investigations cases in Newfoundland and Labrador resulted in two convictions under the Customs Act and two convictions under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

CBSA officers carried out two seizures related to commercial shipments coming into Newfoundland and Labrador, including one alcohol-related seizure, and one that was tobacco-related.

Travel Tips

After an absence from Canada of 24 hours, you may bring back $50 worth of goods duty- and tax-free; after 48 hours, your personal exemption is $400; and after an absence of seven days, you are entitled to $750 worth of duty- and tax-free goods. There are no personal exemptions for same-day purchases.

The CBSA reminds travellers to truthfully declare all purchases and goods received outside of Canada upon their return. Smuggling, undervaluation and other Customs Act offences may lead to seizure and/or prosecution in a court of law. A record of infractions is kept in the CBSA computer system. If you have an infraction record, you may have to undergo a more detailed examination on future trips.

New regulations are in place related to certain foreign nationals who do not meet the requirements to overcome their criminal inadmissibility, to be allowed to enter Canada with a one-time only, fee-exempt temporary resident permit. For more information, please visit the Citizenship and Immigration Canada Web site.

Please refer to the I Declare brochure on the CBSA Web site for more information.

Anyone with information about suspicious cross-border activity is encouraged to call the CBSA Border Watch Toll-free Line at 1-888-502-9060.

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For further information

CBSA Communications, Atlantic Region
902-426-0900

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