Illegal fireworks seized in California

[NWA_Fireworks]

Let the comments begin...

https://www.fontanaheraldnews.com/news/inland_empire_news/thousands-of-pounds-of-illegal-fireworks-are-seized/article_3ab06278-7340-11e9-80e5-b386b34ef04f.html

[displayfireworks1]

When I keep reading about these Agricultural stops entering California I was not sure exactly what that meant. Apparently they look like a toll area and randomly stop vehicles for search.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gx88WKCbiWs
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http://rvlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Firewood.jpg

[Robbro097]

I know of department of agriculture searching peoples belongings when entering the country but i never knew they may search when entering California. Anybody know of these stops in other states? Shame all those fireworks to be destroyed, mayb fire dept will shoot em but in California i highly doubt it.

[Icooclast]

i saw an article a few years back saying they had some road blocks set up going into cali to screen JUST for fireworks a few years back. if memory serves it was from like june something to the middle or end of july. which seems too strict at first glace, but then you think that they get wildfires every year WITHOUT fireworks being lit, and then the logic behind that seems to make sense. yet another reason i won't move to CA. earthquakes, pollution, traffic jams, huge crowds, high taxes and now NO FIREWORKS. that's where i draw the line. lol. the warm weather isn't worth the rest. (personally the earthquakes alone do it for me.)

[Rick_In_Tampa]

Not sure how they get away with violating your 4th amendment rights. Must be more to the story. The driver had to be doing something illegal in order to get pulled over, no? Something that allowed them to search the truck.

[pyrophil]

They have the authority to check enclosed trailers and trucks for agricultural products which may contain insects dangerous to California products, especially those with out of state license plates. I am 100% sure they use this as an excuse to check trailers for fireworks and they DO KNOW when demos and sales occur in Pahrump, its not a secret anymore.

[RalphieJ]

"Investigators seized the truck and fireworks, the driver was issued a citation and released, and the 40 illegal aliens that were hiding behind the fireworks were allowed to continue their journey.".

[displayfireworks1]

The question is what happens when you say "No" to a search of your vehicle for some fruit? I suspect they can not force it on you. They probably can make you turn around and not enter the state. There also has to be an alternative route into Las Angeles that does not have this fruit stop. When I heard about these "Agricultural Stops " I just never imagined an actual structure like this blocking the entire road. Be great to hear from someone that lives in California on this.
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At 10:21 in this video you hear some of the alternatives if you refuse.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dU0bru8SJdE

[Icooclast]

[SIZE=4]The question is what happens when you say "No" to a search of your vehicle for some fruit? I suspect they can not force it on you. They probably can make you turn around and not enter the state. There also has to be an alternative route into Las Angeles that does not have this fruit stop. When I heard about these "Agricultural Stops " I just never imagined an actual structure like this blocking the entire road. Be great to hear from someone that lives in California on this.

yeah, dave. i didn't expect something like that, either. it is a pretty advanced operation, isn't it?

[jsifue2]

We have driven through some of these caliornia checkpoints in past road trips to LA. In my experience, they're not staffed all the time. The times we have been stopped they ask if we are bringing in any fruits or vegetables; if you have a cooler they may make you open it. I always tell them we have nothing and they let us go by.

[Rick_In_Tampa]

Lol.. I love how the woman tries to make a separate distinction between the words "inspection" and "search." I guess they bank on people being ignorant. Yeah someone needs to challenge that law. If I have a tractor trailer full of toilet paper and I tell the geniuses at the checkpoint that I have no produce on board, IMHO they don't have any legal justification for making me stop for an inspection.

[Mattp]

its definitely not right.. but those people are just doing their jobs.. they dont know the constitution and amendments.. that guy could've taken a ticket and been on his way.. dealt with in in court..brought up his case and most likely had it dismissed... its still not right!!! but i think we all know arguing and not complying with the PO is not the way to go about it!!! especially if your not doing anything illegal anyway!!!.. pretty sure driving a vehicle on a public rd is not a constitutional right..its a "privilege"...yes your vehicle is your property and cannot be searched without probable cause.. but they also can not allow you to be on a public rd... it is a very grey area.. and should definitely be challenged!!!

[Rick_In_Tampa]

I would agree to the extent that the lawmakers in California put these inspection station police in a really REALLY bad spot. ANYONE who wears a badge and has the power of the state to deprive you of your personal liberties, has (IMHO anyway) an absolute duty and obligation to know the Constitution and the (applicable) Amendments. The 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th are REALLY important and directly related to their duties as a police officer. Yet video after video shows just how ignorant many cops are of these basic rights. It's really pretty scary.

Having said all that... Could the guy have just sucked it up and been on his way with his kids and windows intact? Absolutely. Could the cops have just said "get on down the road crazy person" and avoided the whole confrontation? Yep! Unfortunately, both sides decided to play "who's got the bigger crank" and the guy with the gun won, as is usually the case. The guy in the car should have refused the search, taken the ticket, and argued his case in court. That's how the system is supposed to work.

[countryboy7978]

Here’s the answer to your question. https://www.tahoedailytribune.com/news/crime-fire/officials-seize-1882-pounds-of-illegal-fireworks-at-truckee-bug-station/

It doesn’t appear that you have to allow inspectors to look at your car/truck. You just have to turn around. If it’s between getting all my Pyro seized along with catching a felony, why would anyone agree to be searched if you know what you have. Turn around and find another way back home.

[Rick_In_Tampa]

"Berlant reiterated that point on Tuesday, saying that all laws were followed during the fireworks operations, when both seeking to inspect and when — for those who gave consent — searching vehicles."

Again with the word games. So when they tell you they're stopping you to "INSPECT" your vehicle for agricultural relate issues, how exactly will they accomplish this "inspection" without looking in your vehicle?? They freely admit that you have to give consent for that, and then it's no longer an "inspection." Now it's a "search." Now we're back to the issue of probable cause and the 4th amendment protections.

So when is it ever really an inspection?? In my mind this is a clear violation of your 4th amendment rights and this law would easily fail to pass constitutional muster if brought before the SCOTUS.

Having said all that... countryboy7978 has it exactly right. You have the right to remain silent too. Use it! Turn around and find another route back home.

[Rick_In_Tampa]

Sorry... Forgot to mention one thing.

From the article: "TRUCKEE, Calif. ? If you?ve been wondering why westbound lanes of Interstate 80 have seemed overly backed up near Truckee?s agricultural inspection station the past several days, it?s due to increased enforcement from state officials looking for illegal fireworks.

Earlier this month, Calfire led a multi-agency fireworks seizure operation at the California Border Protection Station in Truckee, often referred to as the ?bug station,? which wrapped this past weekend."

I don't care how you want to spin it. To all but the blindingly ignorant a multi-agency operation looking for something is a "search."

Again, sorry for the rant. This stuff really pisses me off. I haven't spent the past 37 years of my life working for the federal government to support ANY government trampling on our rights.

[Mattp]

100% right rick... that right there no longer makes it a "bug inspection"... the whole thing is crazy.. i would think for cali the only place those should be acceptable is on the dare i say Mexico border.. when are the cali people going to wake up and vote these nuts out of office... i can say the same for this band of lunatics running NY.. but cali almost makes ny look conservative!! lol