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border Portugal / Spain in Ayamonte

border Portugal / Spain in Ayamonte

Old Feb 4th 2015, 5:46 am
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Default border Portugal / Spain in Ayamonte

hi,
my husband and I are just tourists from Canada travelling through your area and I have a question for the 'locals' here:
We crossed the border from Portugal into Spain on the highway bridge yesterday (on a bus from Faro to Sevilla) and they stopped the bus at the border and came to check all passports. This has been the first time that I've had to show a passport at a border of EU states in ages. Does it happen a lot at that border crossing ? Just curious..

Also.. we noticed a lot of fields covered with white plastic tent-like structures, what's the main crop at the moment?

Thanks for answering...
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Old Feb 4th 2015, 6:52 am
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Default Re: border Portugal / Spain in Ayamonte

Originally Posted by woodworm
hi,
my husband and I are just tourists from Canada travelling through your area and I have a question for the 'locals' here:
We crossed the border from Portugal into Spain on the highway bridge yesterday (on a bus from Faro to Sevilla) and they stopped the bus at the border and came to check all passports. This has been the first time that I've had to show a passport at a border of EU states in ages. Does it happen a lot at that border crossing ? Just curious..

Also.. we noticed a lot of fields covered with white plastic tent-like structures, what's the main crop at the moment?

Thanks for answering...
They do have spot checks at the border now and then and especially when the security threat is high (as it is now since Charlie Hebdo). This was particularly prevalent when the Basque separatists were active and after the Madrid bombings.

The main crop at the moment is soft fruit - raspberries, strawberries etc - destined for the Northern European market. We have raspberries from Cartaya on our supermarket shelves in the UK right now. It is also the start of the orange season - which seems to last for a long time - Seville oranges for marmalade..
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Old Feb 4th 2015, 7:10 am
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Default Re: border Portugal / Spain in Ayamonte

It's probably worth pointing out that we don't have "probable cause", as you may be accustomed to in North America. "police controls" are not uncommon at all - really, throughout Europe. Around here, they are a daily occurrence.

Whether on a bus, or simply driving along, they can stop you, check your documents, look for MOT violations, and even search the boot and look through you bags if they want. I can't speak for other countries, but in Spain, if you resist, they can arrest you and seize the vehicle. It rarely comes to that, but most people aren't daft enough nor have any reason to resist.
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Old Feb 9th 2015, 5:28 pm
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Default Re: border Portugal / Spain in Ayamonte

I had no idea they were doing it more. Last time I heard about those controls was years ago during a G8 summit. A bus full of left wing extremists from Portugal was stopped at the border because they intended to go there.

I don't know how it is in Spain but in Portugal they can only search the boot if it is a commercial vehicle. Of course they can ask you to check the boot on your private car, but you can refuse. They would have to seize the vehicle, but for that they need to ask a judge for a warrant. They would not be able to get a judge to sign it without a reasonable motive.
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Old Feb 9th 2015, 9:27 pm
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Default Re: border Portugal / Spain in Ayamonte

Originally Posted by ARPcPro
I had no idea they were doing it more. Last time I heard about those controls was years ago during a G8 summit. A bus full of left wing extremists from Portugal was stopped at the border because they intended to go there.

I don't know how it is in Spain but in Portugal they can only search the boot if it is a commercial vehicle. Of course they can ask you to check the boot on your private car, but you can refuse. They would have to seize the vehicle, but for that they need to ask a judge for a warrant. They would not be able to get a judge to sign it without a reasonable motive.
I think when a man with a gun asks to look in the boot of my car I'd agree !

I also suspect that 'national security' would be sufficient cause.
The checks leaving Portugal are in Spain by Spanish police and GC, there are sometimes checks when entering Portugal but these days they are mostly looking for toll evaders.
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