Stop, Search, Seize (Sky1)

Mc Love

Has anyone been watching this? For the customs service in Ireland I think its a decent show. Some colourful characters (Bruce) and some good scenes.

The last episode showed some customs trying to seize a car off someone that didnt pay any VRT which you have to admit is fair enough considering he had been given ample time to pay but even despite this the driver displayed an overwhelming amount of arrogance and cry-babyness, I would have taken the car off him just over his attitude.

The other thing is that guy Bruce that works in Customs in Dublin Airport, really needs to take a chill pill, hope I never have to run into him!

The Indo did a not so great review on it but I thought it was entertaining and will continue to watch it.

http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/television/tv-news/stop-search-seize-review-not-even-a-charming-proposal-or-copious-drugs-in-the-post-can-save-skys-new-show-on-irish-customs-from-terminal-lack-of-tension-31495556.html

Mr E

Yeah I think this is a good show too. Bruce is a great character.

That VRT guy didn't come off the best, did he?

Mc Love

Mr E wrote: »

Yeah I think this is a good show too. Bruce is a great character.

That VRT guy didn't come off the best, did he?

The customs officer or the the driver of the car? If its the latter, he hadnt a leg to stand on in, no point arguing when you break the law. He still got away with driving the car away though.

If it was me I wouldnt have let him leave giving his attitude.

Mr E

Oh I meant the driver, absolutely.

Dolgirl

Anyone out there watch this? Its on sky 1 on tuesdays. Tuned in and at first thought it was a satirical look at how customs work. Jeez tis brutal.From the guy dipping for green Diesel who can't stop smiling at the camera to the guy at Dublin Airport who seems to think he is John Mclane.

SEPT 23 1989

such bloody handy numbers these people have

flazio

Managed to catch this last night and saw a couple of other episodes on catch up.
Some of the items confiscated shocked me that they got onto an aircraft (OK I know it was likely checked in luggage but still)
Now Bruce seriously needs to brush up on his people skills from what I've seen, particularly with that poor kid from Hong Kong, yes by all means ask those real personal questions but stay professional and detached about it.
Also a sorting office in Portlaoise does the drug searches? So, drugs can come into the country and make it to the midlands before the authorities catch up with it? That sort of search should be done at the ports IMO.

Mr E

I'd say most international post comes in by air. So the options are to set up screening at all international airports in the country, or centralise it all in a single location in the middle of the country before distributing it.

Del2005

flazio wrote: »

Managed to catch this last night and saw a couple of other episodes on catch up.
Some of the items confiscated shocked me that they got onto an aircraft (OK I know it was likely checked in luggage but still)
Now Bruce seriously needs to brush up on his people skills from what I've seen, particularly with that poor kid from Hong Kong, yes by all means ask those real personal questions but stay professional and detached about it.
Also a sorting office in Portlaoise does the drug searches? So, drugs can come into the country and make it to the midlands before the authorities catch up with it? That sort of search should be done at the ports IMO.

All the post goes through Portlaoise so that is the port for post.

Atlantic Dawn

First 3 Episodes on Youtube...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXpn6z2s9ss
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EyYr_c0v_s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ERfuSd4L_4

somesoldiers

Bruce: where are you from?
Passenger: China
Bruce: Uno momento amigo

he is like the Stuart Dunne character in The Snapper. I really think he has an awful attitude and I would go berserk if he ever stopped me. Compare him to the gentler Cork officer, who gets the same result but without the "don't touch me or the bags, I'm not asking you that, I know you're lying"

Preset No.3

I find Bruce refreshing!

somesoldiers

"People are importing a lot of erectile dysfunction drugs, this is a growth area"

somesoldiers

Episode 5, finally some drugs...750k worth

fritzelly

Only found out about it the other day - good series, far better than the (I think) RTE rubbish version.

Yeah Bruce, seems to have a bit of an attitude when you see all the other guys and gals doing the same job (does he really have to keep pushing his badge in front of peoples faces all the time) - could be just Sky showing the worst of him though (good tv and all that)

uck51js9zml2yt

Bruce is a head wrecker. Look at my big badge!

fritzelly

Maeve Green Paperboy wrote: »

Bruce is a head wrecker. Look at my big badge!

Not that big, maybe therein lies the problem - what did they do with the erectile dysfunction pills?

Fred Swanson

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somesoldiers

fritzelly wrote: »

Not that big, maybe therein lies the problem - what did they do with the erectile dysfunction pills?

The illegal importation of these "is a growth area" according to ken....


wasn't ken on another show before maybe RTE, similar theme?

Fred Swanson

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tampopo

Preset No.3 wrote: »

I find Bruce refreshing!

I find him obnoxious.

tinto_85

Watching this programme now for the first time and I am disgusted at how unprofessional that Bruce guy is..

His obnoxious antagonistic demeanour is appalling.

An embarrassment..

PirateShampoo

Yeah Bruce doesn't come across as a likable guy, he's not a fan of "Dem lads"

nxbyveromdwjpg

This Bruce guy is a sap

G_R

He's purely playing to the camera, I'd say.

Comes across as really unprofessional and dislikeable

nxbyveromdwjpg

I've turned it off, that prick is just annoying watching.

tinto_85

Ivy Salty Bleach wrote: »

I've turned it off, that prick is just annoying watching.

A disgrace to the uniform...

Atlantic Dawn

He seems to be looking for a rise from people, one minute he is asking them what the items are, when they tell him he gets agressive and doesn't want to hear. Only way to deal with someone like that is take 5 second pauses on every response you give to every question he asks, giving him a highly technical answer to each question, will wreck his head and limit his reponse options.

tinto_85

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

He seems to be looking for a rise from people, one minute he is asking them what the items are, when they tell him he gets agressive and doesn't want to hear. Only way to deal with someone like that is take 5 second pauses on every response you give to every question he asks, giving him a highly technical answer to each question, will wreck his head and limit his reponse options.

He shouldn't be there in the first place with an attitude like that..

somesoldiers

Go back a few episodes and watch Bruce do his bit for Irish-Chinese relations.

PirateShampoo

It's a weapon, I do martial arts.

Atlantic Dawn

somesoldiers wrote: »

Go back a few episodes and watch Bruce do his bit for Irish-Chinese relations.

https://youtu.be/kXpn6z2s9ss?t=1989

tinto_85

MotharAGad... Looks like he's trying to get a rise out of people.. Surely someone a few rungs above Bruce the martial artist Lee would have had a screening of this programme before it was broadcast on Sky..?

somesoldiers

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

https://youtu.be/kXpn6z2s9ss?t=1989

http://youtu.be/4ERfuSd4L_4

There's another unfortunate Chinese man here @ 36:39 "Uno Momento"

Fred Swanson

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dave1982

I like the cork fella at the fella, had to laugh when passenger said you can make small hole in plywood of van, customs reply " I can make a big hole. Haha

randy hickey

Just an observation, having seen an episode of this show for the first time this evening.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but on the UK/Australian versions of this show, do they not open dodgy packages in rooms that resemble a controlled laboratory which are specially kitted out with large stainless steel worktops, sinks etc.?

I always thought the logical purpose of this was to control the unintentional release of unwanted foreign flora/fauna, and also, where drugs were involved, to protect the officers from hazardous chemical exposure.

My concern is that, in one scene officers were opening/handling/documenting various drugs at their workstations in an open plan office (AFAIR this was in Shannon), and in another, the ubiquitous officer in Dublin Airport was opening contraband food from a suitcase containing insects in what appeared to be an interview room.

VeVeX

I can't believe the Bruce guy. He has zero skills at dealing with the public.

6541

I liked the Bruce guy, more of a bumbling idiot. The show overall is an embarrassment. If these are the people protecting our borders god help us.

Mc Love

VeVeX wrote: »

I can't believe the Bruce guy. He has zero skills at dealing with the public.

Yeah he is very rude and not good at dealing with people. Can't understand how he is working in customs.

While it might not be a patch on some of the other custom shows, its all quite good. If the show got rid of bruce, it would be a lot better

Mc Love

Funny conversations on twitter, his daughter, trying to defend him

iano.p

I know two custom officers on this and they even said this show makes them look stupid. The lad that had green diesel in his van seem to be the only one that got a fine in the show.

uck51js9zml2yt

Mc Love wrote: »

Funny conversations on twitter, his daughter, trying to defend him

Link

VeVeX

Maeve Green Paperboy wrote: »

Link

https://twitter.com/HellerClaire?lang=en

Fred Swanson

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somesoldiers

I just caught up on last night's show, is it really appropriate for a government officer to call what is obviously a delicacy in another culture, "disgusting"? Wouldn't be a fan myself but sure you could say the same about black pudding and don't the Scandinavians bury fish for 6 months, dig it up and have for their dinner? Mank bags, but I'm not a government officer carrying out my duties

Kenevil

Fred Swanson wrote: »

I see customs officers don't even know the allowances. Where are they getting this 300 allowance for cigarettes within the EU from?

Allowances from new members are only 300

fritzelly

Why does he insist on showing his badge multiple times? It's pretty obvious he's not the airport cleaner.

Mebuntu

fritzelly wrote: »

Why does he insist on showing his badge multiple times?

Because he is a classic example of someone who gets handed a badge or a high-vis jacket and thinks and needs to show he's God. I am appalled that the Irish authorities have allowed this man to be highlighted on a TV series watched by millions of foreigners. On the evidence we have seen he is an embarrassment to the country and isn't even remotely as funny as he thinks he is. His rise-a-row approach is deliberately calculated to evoke a response from his victims ("amigos", "my friends") thus allowing him the opportunity to show off his badge and authority.

All of the other officials shown in action in this series are shining examples of how to go about their business. He is a classic example of someone who should never be handed a badge or a high-vis jacket.

VeVeX

Mebuntu wrote: »

Because he is a classic example of someone who gets handed a badge or a high-vis jacket and thinks and needs to show he's God. I am appalled that the Irish authorities have allowed this man to be highlighted on a TV series watched by millions of foreigners. On the evidence we have seen he is an embarrassment to the country and isn't even remotely as funny as he thinks he is. His rise-a-row approach is deliberately calculated to evoke a response from his victims ("amigos", "my friends") thus allowing him the opportunity to show off his badge and authority.

All of the other officials shown in action in this series are shining examples of how to go about their business. He is a classic example of someone who should never be handed a badge or a high-vis jacket.

Well said. I am however looking forward to his shenanigans this evening.

Fred Swanson

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