Alan Place - Importer of Unknown substances

 Stopped at customs

I recently told my friend in Canada about the times I was stopped at customs on entering Canada, she said she was was in tears with laughing at the stories.

Strange, but true

The first case happened in June 2009 I was stopped as the sniffer dogs were aroused by an odd smell from one of my bags; I can't blame them. I never thought of it happening, on the train to the airport, I had a cheese and pickle sandwhich, me being me, I put the wrapper in my bag, and forgot about it. The heat must have activated the smell of the pickles, and that is what the dog picked up.

The second time, I was stopped for carrying a jar containing strange leaves; the customs officers had no idea what was in the jar, so I can't blame them. What was in the jar?

Bay leaves, the daughter of a late friend in Lac La Biche, Alberta, knew we had a bay tree, and asked if she could have some leaves to set the jellies she was making. I didn't consider I may not have been allowed to import the leaves, as I wasn't importing trees.