the united states customs service guards all ports of entry so that no goods can be brought into our country illegally one of our busiest ports of entry is its fantasy road near san diego california as many as thirty thousand cars may enter here in a twenty four hour period all seventeen lanes of traffic maybe four in order to handle this large number of people of angels from all four u s government departments help with the initial inspection every car is not searched however they are trained to judge people and while they are polite they can be very severe when people break the law the inspectors are from the u s department of customs immigration public health and agriculture inspector questions this man and asked to see the trunk of his car he finds nothing wrong here many people cross the border for only a day these children will visit their grandmother in san diego some men come to san diego often on business the officer knows mr odessa well he's going to san diego to buy merchandise for his hardware store suspicious cars are sent to an inspection area for a more thorough investigation this man looks questionable an officer from the u s department of agriculture checks his papers and questions him the man hands over a bottle of liquor that was not declare the law requires that the bottle be confiscated and he pay a fine the mexican officials to check all people in right entering their country every country has different laws for collecting duty the mexican officials work closely with the american officers in their effort to stop smuggling they are especially anxious to stop the narcotics traffic and to arrest the dope muggers tourists enjoy the picturesque life in mexico the shops have articles not found in the united states touches them bros whether goods silver curious handcrafts whether they are going to mexico for pleasure or business after they cross the line they are foreigners and all their actions are governed by a different laws people who leave this country must be sure they can prove they are americans when they return across the line these people have been checked by the us public health service and the immigration authorities and are now ready to go through customs since these americans have been in mexico only for the day they have little baggage and the inspection is brief the mexican people would also like to spend a day in the united states to shop in our stores inspector emery asked mrs damon to open her suitcase mrs damon seems upset and the officer goes through her bag carefully it might contain smuggled goods for illegal money  just as he expected he finds valuable coral beads with earrings to match amber from french indochina and jade from india tourists to mexico are permitted a liberal allowance however they must declare their valuables and it's a exceed the limit they are subject to fine mrs damon will pay a fine because she did not declare her purchases a train is only passing through a corner of mexico the officer will steal the cars so they cannot be opened while out of the country when the train returns inspection will not be necessary if the seals have not been the united states is bordered by two friendly nations there are no fortifications on our land borders as there are along the borders of most of the other countries of the world at our international airports planes arrive from many different parts of the world at los angeles up an american plane from london as soon as the public health officer clears the plane itself the passengers disemb first they must pass the inspection of the united states health service they show their vaccinations certificates and the opposite glances shrewdly at each traveler to be sure he looks healthy next the immigration inspectors check their passports to be sure they are entering legally the officers and crew are first to land they have little luggage many rules cover the variety of imports a biology professor is bringing in some unusual routes  an officer from the u s department of agriculture is called in examines them and declares them harmless they are not on his list of forbidden plants and will not endanger american crops mrs blair brings in a number of things among them a bottle of rarely cure which you failed to declare look you are will be confiscated and she will pay a fine small fines  of the customs inspectors is not finished when the passengers leave they missed check their papers and make out their reports which will be sent to washington d c and placed on file ships and planes bring quantities of merchandise to new york our greatest in boarding city shops here are famous for articles from abroad at kennedy airport in new york passengers from the different airline companies are brought to the international arrivals building for their customs inspection friends and relatives waiting for passengers they watch the customs procedure in the balcony the officers carry out their inspection as quickly as possible so the travelers will not be delayed also the counters must be cleared for incoming plane the inspectors are courteous but f and can be severe when the situation demands children watch the procedure with interest they are impressed with the quiet patients with which the officials carry out their difficult wor they are alert every minute to be sure no contraband goods enters this country no smuggling ten thousand passengers that's inspection in this airport each day in this public auction room where the articles confiscated as well as those not called for the travelers may have died or forgotten their parcels were given the wrong addresses after a period of time this merchandise is sold at auction the sales are advertised and people may come ahead of the public auction to examine the articles and decide which they want to bid o los angeles harbor the offices of the u s customs are in the post office and custom house building the customs service takes care of all imported merchandise until it has been fully inspected and the import duty paid the inspection of freight is generally at the docks but sometimes the inspectors go to the importers place of business and make their inspection they're here they you're unloading sewing machines from japan the inspector examines only a certain percent of the boxes he checks each box with the bill of lading and invoices each year more than eighteen billion dollars worth of merchandise comes to this country from foreign ports by their careful work the customs service saves our nation millions of dollars each year it's hard to believe this great contains two complete airplanes an example of modern engineered packing notice when the lift pulls out of the crate has already been placed on a movable lift now it can easily be a passenger liner arrives from the orient friends are on hand to greet the travelers the public health and immigration officers made their inspection on board w after disembarking the passengers go first to the customs inspection room the luggage of the three hundred passengers leaving the ship is assembled here and then placed alphabetically goring to the individuals last name that each passenger can locate his own luggage mrs treatment is returning from a trip around the world inspector tillman asked her if she had bought anything of value that she did not declare she firmly denies bringing in anything expensive that the officer is not convinced is trained hands quickly investigate the different pockets of the suitcase people hide things in odd places such as pill boxes belts the heels of shoes and false bottom suitcases carefully cleans each ring now there are indeed very fine stones now she will pay a fine of one thousand dollars and her lovely new diamonds will be confiscated is not a criminal but did not realize how important it is to make a truthful declaration the inspectors have done a tremendous job clearing the baggage of the three hundred passengers of the ship in a short time so the fine work of the u s customs service continues as it has for one hundred seventy five year playing an important role in the american economy enforcing the laws of  our country's trade is safe as long as the customs inspectors stand guard night and day at our ports of entry