RPTR ALLEGEDLY ENTERED UNITED STATES WITHOUT NOTICE TO CUSTOMS.

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I CALLED SEATTLE FSS AT BOEING FIELD IN WASHINGTON FOR A WX BRIEFING; AND TO FILE A VFR FLT PLAN FROM VICTORIA; BC TO BOEING FIELD; DEPARTING IN ABOUT AN HR. THE BRIEFING WAS OBTAINED; AND I HAD INCLUDED 'ADCUS' IN THE SPECIAL REMARKS. I HAD ALSO ASKED IF CUSTOMS OFFICE WAS OPEN THEN AND THEY ASSURED ME THAT THEY WERE OPEN 24 HRS AND THAT THEY WOULD ADVISE. I DEPARTED FROM VICTORIA AND REQUESTED TWR TO OPEN MY FLT PLAN (AS PER PROC AT THIS ARPT). THEY HAD TROUBLE LOCATING MY FLT PLAN AND ASKED IF I HAD FILED WITH VANCOUVER. I REPLIED THAT I HAD FILED WITH SEATTLE. THEY CAME BACK; 'OK; WE FOUND IT; YOUR FLT PLAN HAS BEEN ACTIVATED'. UPON TOUCHDOWN AT BOEING; I RADIOED SEATTLE FSS TO CLOSE OUT MY FLT PLAN; AS I HAVE LANDED AT MY DEST. WITH A SHORT PAUSE; FSS REPLIED THAT MY FLT PLAN HAS BEEN CLOSED. I THEN TAXIED TO CUSTOMS; WHERE I WAITED FOR 20 MINS AS NO ONE WAS THERE. I LEFT THE PLANE THERE TO GO CALL THE NUMBER ON THE LOCKED CUSTOMS DOOR. I TALKED TO SOMEONE AT THE CUSTOMS DEPT WHO HAD TROUBLE LOCATING ME ON HIS COMPUTER. HE SAID THAT THERE WAS AN ACFT THAT WAS 1 DIGIT OFF FROM MINE THAT DEPARTED VICTORIA AND WAS TO ARRIVE AT THE SAME TIME AT BOEING FIELD; MAYBE THAT GOT ENTERED INTO THE COMPUTER WRONG. I WENT BACK TO THE PLANE WHERE I WAS MET BY THE CUSTOMS AGENT. HE STATED THAT HE WAS UNAWARE OF MY ARR; NOR OF A FLT PLAN EVER BEING ACTIVATED. A WK LATER; I RECEIVED NOTICE FROM THE DEPT OF THE TREASURY AND THE UNITED STATED CUSTOMS SVC THAT I WAS IN VIOLATION OF REG 19CFR122.31. THE PENALTY IS $5;000.00!! I WOULD LIKE TO ADVISE ALL YOUR READERS IN CALLBACK TO CONTACT THE CUSTOMS OFFICE PERSONALLY BY TELEPHONE PRIOR TO ARR; AND GATHER NAMES; NUMBERS; AND ANYTHING ELSE RELEVANT TO THE FLT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROOF OF CONTACT. I STRONGLY DISPUTE THIS CHARGE AND ITS ABSURD PENALTY; AS I FULLY INTENDED TO DO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS REQUIRED OF ME; AND THAT THERE WAS NO CRIMINAL ACTION OR INTENT.