I just saw a marked US customs Ford Taurus (01-07 model, not current) driving through a suburban area near Canton/Akron airport.
Why in the heck would US Customs be here?
Especially, why in a marked car? If they’re doing an investigation I’d have imagined an unmarked car.
PS- I’ll leave aside the issue that the post-'96 Taurus isn’t Ford-approved for special service or pursuit…
You may find this hard to believe, but there are airports in Ohio.
Doubtful since that was mentioned in the OP, but whatever. If the Customs Department is tracking something and it’s ending up at the Akron Ohio airport, that’s where they’re going to be. Not everything is caught at entry ports.
The airport is slated to become an international airport complete with a new customs and border protection checkpoint. See a news story here: http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?ID=403263 I can imagine any number of reasons they might be in the area in preparation for the new facility, without needing to be undercover or pursuing anyone.
Ah.
There’s the missing detail, with the airport moving further into the international sphere, and the packages not all being handled on entry to the US.
I guess it makes sense, as CAK is probably less than an hour’s plane ride from Canuckistan.
There is also a need for Customs officials at airports that don’t have a large volume of commercial travel. For example, if I, Walton Winthrop Moneybucks, take my MillionAir aeromobile from Paris to Akron, someone with a badge is supposed to meet me and make sure I’m not bringing any unpasteurized cheese or other contraband into our country.
Perhaps the guy was driving from one airport to another for just that purpose.
Doesn’t US Customs also have domestic offices for customs transactions of local businesses, e.g. sealed shipments under TIR?
This is precisely it. I have taken a corporate jet into the private hangers there at CAK before (and met a few upon landing) and that is how it worked.
While all the replies may be true, I think there is a simpler explanation. According to their website, they’re having a statewide recruiting blitz in Ohio on Saturday. One of the cities is Akron.
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/04112008.xml
Sorry, wrong link and I can’t seem to edit my post…
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/careers/recruiting_events/buckeye_blitz.xml
While bibliophage probably nailed it with the airport information, my initial reaction was that Cleveland is a port of entry, complete with Coast Guard station, both from Ontario being across the lake and ocean access via the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Welland Canal. It would be entirely plausible for someone from the Cleveland POE to live or otherwise have business in Akron or vicinity.