the united states is bordered by two friendly nations canada and mexico just think there are no fortifications on our land borders as there are along the boundaries of most of the countries in the world however there are many customs stations like this one near vancouver british columbia and border patrols to enforce the immigration and customs laws there is a friendly feeling at this border we owe our very existence to the brotherhood of these two countries customs service and forces the laws that regulate the flow of goods in and out of our country on the canadian side of the line they canadian customs and immigration officers inspect cars that enter and leave canada all countries have customs inspectors to enforce their trade laws canada sends many things to the united states like furs and english in vancouver it is loaded on trucks on ships on trains and on airplanes enter this country at an airfield a border or a harbor no matter how it arrives the customs inspection procedure is the same whether you enter new york harbor with its famous customs house near wall street or whether you enter at a western port like san francisco the bureau of customs is a federal agency under the united states treasury department it collects a duty or tax on merchandise brought into the country no duty is paid on exports let's turn to one of our ports of entry on the friendly mexican border this port near san diego is a busy place besides the regular travelers and there are lines of pleasure cars that spend only a day in mexico whether people are going to mexico for pleasure or business when they cross the line they are foreigners and all their actions are governed by a different set of laws people leave this country to be sure that they can prove they are americans when they return across the line both the american and the mexican officials check all people and freight entering mexico the travelers shop in mexico and buy many things made by the people like silver jewelry baskets and mexican blankets tourist enjoy the picturesque life in mexico that the american customs border the cars wait in line to return to this country after they have been passed by the mexican inspectors they are examined by a united states immigration officer each person must tell his name and where he was born if the person does not speak english well or was not born in the united states he may have to show his citizenship papers the car passes on to the customs inspector he looks to the car for anything bought in mexico if a person has stayed long in mexico or has bought more than he is allowed for the length of time he has been away the customs officer will ask him to take his luggage and purchases into the customs house for examination mrs dyer and her family have spent a week answer not a mexican fishing village they have been in mexico for more than forty eight hours and so each member of the family is allowed to bring in hundred dollars where the goods without paying any duty she seems nervous the officer will check or things with unusual tear a string of cultured pearls and amber necklace a string of crystals all made in the orient but costing less in mexico and in the united states and now silver earrings inlaid with turquoise the customs officer is trained to judge accurately the price of the day commodities inspectors are courteous at all times but are keen judges of human nature mrs dart has a list of her purchases and checks the value she has placed on each article when officers doubt a person's declaration they may take him to a private room for a complete examination or at times they ask him to step in front of an electronic machine called an inspector  scope it is like an x ray machine and it will see through everything except hard materials like metal or precious stones which will show on the screen mrs dark steps in front of that machine it has no ill effect on the person one inspector si in the dark at the left and watches the screen as a star is asked to put her feet in front of the machine and turn each side toward the screen inspector inside operates the machine people trying to smuggle jewels  things by hiding them in the most unexpected places like houston bans or even in their hair or ears or mouth sometimes all people arriving at a port are asked to step in front of the inspector scope especially if the officers have been warned of smugglers even the children are sometimes used to smuggle in things here a plane is arriving from mexico city airports that are approved ports of entry where planes from foreign countries are allowed to land the first person to board the plane is a medical officer from the united states public health service next to board up the officers from the department of customs and agriculture after they have cleared the ship that people ma proceed into the air terminal in the last year over a million aircraft passengers arrived in this country from foreign ports to customs officer check all cargo and luggage as it is unloaded special laws govern the import duty and all kinds of merchandise cargo is often sent on to its destination and a customs duty paid there the customs service has branch offices in all large cities generally the customs service is located in the post after the passengers have had their medical examination they go to the customs room where the procedure is similar to that at the border mrs prints customs declaration shows that she has bought linen and silver jewelry she does not have to pay any duty there by an american ship is arriving from a trip around the world passengers are thrilled to be back safe in their own country and there's an air of excitement in a large ocean liner do world travelers like many pieces of luggage they often return with twenty separate bags in the customs room it is placed in front of a letter of their last name old and was used in special ceremonies customs officer is a student of oriental antiques and is thrilled with the fine engraved sword and takes over one hundred years old are allowed to enter the country duty free mr grant is bought many things but his family are allowed to bring him four hundred dollars worth of duty free and as they have not bought this much they will not pay any duty the officer signs mr grant's declaration at san pedro a port of los angeles the united states customs service occupies a floor of the post office building the customs officers must inspect all foreign ships and all american ships alone takes the customs and agricultural inspectors out to board the boat the officers from the different federal agencies work together spectrum a's the customs inspector talked with the inspector from the department of agriculture the united states customs service is one of the oldest departments of our government in the very first congress of the united states convened the second law and passed was the creation of the united states customs service we all remember how angry our ship today is a swedish freighter a cargo of products from the scandinavian countries these boats are among the most modern freighters afloat and also have accommodations for a dozen passengers when the ship lowers the yellow quarantine flag it means that she has passed a medical quarantine inspection and that other officials may board officials from the customs and immigration departments they report to the captain generally a ship follows the same course and the government officials learn to know the ship's officers a brilliant officer and has all attacked and charm that is a characteristic of captains of ships all over the world that customs officers to represent their country and are trained to handle their work not only with speed and efficiency but also with diplomacy at all times this fork is proud of its reputation as a hospitable for this ship carries a load of wood pulp and paper inspector may as well want to know the exact cargo on the ship where it was taken on and where it is to be unloaded the ship's papers give this information inspector mase will check the list of passengers and crew any person leaving the ship will have his luggage checked at the do the cargo will be examined on the dock when it has been unloaded the customs service collect most of its revenue from the wholesale merchandise entering the country the greater part of the customs work is the supervision of the unloading and the clearing of the cargo so that it can be delivered this is called discharging the cargo there are many different laws some cargo is judged by its foreign value and some by weight generally one tenth of the shipment is valued by experts and this decides the import duty to be paid on the entire shipment when the officials have been eastern spectrum the ship is cleared and may proceed to the dock inspectors continue on to the next ship that is waiting for their needed coast guard boats stand by to prevent any contact with the ship or to prevent the smuggler from escaping let's see what happens when the ship docks the first person to board the ship is inspector russell who will oversee the discharge of the freight he will be in charge of all customs activities while the ship is at the dock to contact the captain and again check spaceships papers it had been checked previously by the boarding officer inspector maze this is a routine procedure for all ships that need customs inspection inspector russell receives a copy of the ship's papers for dot purposes customs officers will inspect the cargo that is unloaded and see that the correct import duty is they do our government they ship might have smugglers aboard and the searching was under inspector brown will search the large ship from bow to stern and from top to bottom the captain is glad to have the inspection he's proud of a ship and if there is a smuggler aboard he wants him found they start at the top and examine even the instruments on the bridge the conviction of smuggling narcotics carries a jail sentence for the guilty person and a fine by the ship on which the narcotics were found notice how carefully they search the lifeboat all smugglers tend to follow a certain set patterns in their legal work and these officers are familiar with the places they try to hide their contraband goods different men are assigned to various parts of the ship one inspector even climbs the mast and examines the cross beam they examine every nook and cranny of the ship contraband goods is goods that is brought him illegally things that are not allowed to be imported into the united states smugglers also bring in articles that are allowed to be brought in but they try to bring them in without paying the duty on them nothing up here to man starts the various control boxes on the  in the meantime down in the hold the men hunt around the bags of copra meal from the a ship also carries rubber and the smugglers are not apt to hide things in the cargo because it would be discovered when the cargo is unloaded every bit of the ship is searched pantries cruise quarters and even the engine room in a cruise dining room inspectors examine the members of the crew pockets coat linings belts it's all in a day's work for the customs inspectors who take great pride in their work there is good natured rivalry between the different ports and they like to be at a port that finds the contraband members of the hips cruel looking barest are any of these men narcotics here they also found the guilty man a sailor who had joined the ship in singapore he was working alone on a ship that had partners with your waiting for the smuggled good inspector maze inspector russell inspector brown and all of you men who protect our borders our country's trade is safe as long as you stand guard night and day at all of our ports of entry