My wife works for DHL here in Vancouver B.C., Canada. She deals with Customs Agents every single day, as part of her job description. According to her, Canada Customs are stiffer than U.S. Customs and not necessarily as in regulations, but the officers themselves.(Being at the YVR Airport, she will deal with agents from both borders.)
The problem is generally due to drugs. Canadians ship marijuana to the U.S., Americans will pay for the drugs with other drugs- in this case cocaine.
Expensive items are now generally 'red-flagged' by Customs, as a new trend is appearing: people will go to the extent of paying big money to 'decoy.' It is common for grow op's to be set up in multi-million dollar homes, in exclusive neighbourhoods.
Of course, Customs can go to any extent they want to inspect your package, literally even destroying your goods with out any avenue for you to follow afterwards.
So, if something can contain drugs, they will asume it will.
(By the way- I'll bet this 'Customs' damage generally occurs in B.C. as opposed to else where in Canada. Most drugs cross from our borders......)
The problem is generally due to drugs. Canadians ship marijuana to the U.S., Americans will pay for the drugs with other drugs- in this case cocaine.
Expensive items are now generally 'red-flagged' by Customs, as a new trend is appearing: people will go to the extent of paying big money to 'decoy.' It is common for grow op's to be set up in multi-million dollar homes, in exclusive neighbourhoods.
Of course, Customs can go to any extent they want to inspect your package, literally even destroying your goods with out any avenue for you to follow afterwards.
So, if something can contain drugs, they will asume it will.
(By the way- I'll bet this 'Customs' damage generally occurs in B.C. as opposed to else where in Canada. Most drugs cross from our borders......)