Taking Cigars to the States

[TripaLarga]

I'm flying to the USA this summer from the UK and will be taking a modest personal stock - no more than 15 cigars. I'll use a humipouch.

I'm just looking for confirmation from anyone who's done this before - should I just remove the bands or do they not care about tiny amounts like that?

Cheers!

[cigcars]

I'm flying to the USA this summer from the UK and will be taking a modest personal stock - no more than 15 cigars. I'll use a humipouch.

I'm just looking for confirmation from anyone who's done this before - should I just remove the bands or do they not care about tiny amounts like that?

Cheers!

If you are a foreign national, you should have no problem. If you are an American citizen - uhm, mm, well uh- you could be jacked up. It's really up to whoever's checking you in. There is one super right wing radio talk show host who said he drove back home to the states from Canada, told the custom's agent he had Cubans, and was told, Yeah sure, come on through. And wasn't given any problem. You go figure...

[CigarmanTim]

Ship them to the address you are staying at.

[matt14]

Didnt they cut up Sucklings cubans when he tried coming through with some last year?

[thechenman]

There is a chance that you could get them in, but why take the risk. If you remove the bands, and don't declare that they are Cuban, there will be no problems whatsoever.

[Colt45]

There is a chance that you could get them in, but why take the risk. If you remove the bands, and don't declare that they are Cuban, there will be no problems whatsoever.

Agreed. I've flown within the U.S. and never had any problems. But anymore, I think I'd just make it easy and remove the bands.

[Loki]

You should have no problem especially if you remove the bands. If US customs does find them , worst case senario they will hold them at your port of entry and they will be returned to you when you leave from the same port of entry. I'm sure that there will be some paper work involved.

You being a foreign national are allowed to possess cubans but the law still applies to bringing them into the US.

I read this many years ago on the US customs website .

[bigfunkyg]

I went to Hawaii (from Canada) in the winter. I had about 30 cigars in a tupperdore which I removed the labels. The customs officer asked if I had any alcolhol or tobacco to which I replied yes. He asked if they are Cuban, to which I said no. He gave me a dirty look and sent me on my way.

Take the labels off and you shouldn't have problem.

G

[bassman]

Agreed. I've flown within the U.S. and never had any problems. But anymore, I think I'd just make it easy and remove the bands.

Flying within the USA is a totally different story. No customs- TSA has no authority to confiscate cigars.

[Stalebread]

Take the labels off and you shouldn't have problem.

G

Agreed. A time or two I've just put a few cigars in the inside pocket of my sport coat and walked through.

However, if someone challenges you/them, really challenges, I believe the burden of proof is on you to proove the cigars are not Cuban rather than for a customs official to proove they are.

[prshah25]

Try limiting the number of cigars in one pouch...put it in different luggage bags..Do not carry it in your hand luggage. You should be fine..

[capecc]

There seems to still be so much misconception about this:

The trade embargo only applies to U.S. citizens: U.S. citizens cannot trade (spend any money) on cuban goods, servies, etc.

Tripa I read your post to mean that you are not a U.S. citizen and just visiting, in which case you are free to bring Cuban goods with you for personal consumption. No harm no foul. Unless I read it wrong and you are a U.S. citizen, in which case 1. Put cigars in plastic baggie. 2. Swallow 3. Consume laxatives

[gfoster]

There seems to still be so much misconception about this:

The trade embargo only applies to U.S. citizens: U.S. citizens cannot trade (spend any money) on cuban goods, servies, etc.

Tripa I read your post to mean that you are not a U.S. citizen and just visiting, in which case you are free to bring Cuban goods with you for personal consumption. No harm no foul. Unless I read it wrong and you are a U.S. citizen, in which case 1. Put cigars in plastic baggie. 2. Swallow 3. Consume laxatives

You are incorrect. There is an across the board ban on the importation of cuban products (including cigars) which applies to all non citizens and citizens alike. As a non-citizen, you are not allowed to import cuban cigars into the US period. As a citizen, you are not allowed to purchase cuban cigars whether they were illegally imported or not (the only legal ones are pre-embargo) and in fact, it's also illegal for a US citizen to buy and smoke a cuban cigar while *outside* the US as well.

The following link explains it pretty unambiguously.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/clearing...uban_cigars.xml

-- Gary F.

[Ryan]

There seems to still be so much misconception about this:

The trade embargo only applies to U.S. citizens: U.S. citizens cannot trade (spend any money) on cuban goods, servies, etc.

Tripa I read your post to mean that you are not a U.S. citizen and just visiting, in which case you are free to bring Cuban goods with you for personal consumption. No harm no foul. Unless I read it wrong and you are a U.S. citizen, in which case 1. Put cigars in plastic baggie. 2. Swallow 3. Consume laxatives

This is not currently true. It is illegal for any traveller to the US to bring Cuban cigars with them.

from: http://www.iatatravelcentre.com/US-USA-cus...ons-details.htm

"Prohibited to import:

For both residents and non-residents (fines of between USD 25.- and USD 50.- will be imposed on the passenger in case of non-compliance):

1..

..

7. Cuban cigars from any country.

"

I have bought cuban cigars in duty free lots of times when flying into the US and often warned by the salesperson that they may be taken off me.

Having said that TripaLarga, bring your cigars with you. Do not take the bands off and do not mention them on the customs declaration form you fill out on the plane. Don't worry about it.

In the extremely unlikely event that your bags get searched after arriving: you forgot, you always travel with cigars and didn't think of mentioning them.

The worst that will happen is they'll take them off you, again in the extremely unlikely event that they even look at your bags.

[finecigar]

I think you should be okay. I have flown in countless times with multiple boxes and never had issues. All cases I had put them in my luggage and fortunately was not confiscated like some talk of. In my experience there has never been any issues, I wouldn't take the bands off... that's just my own sentimental perspective. I always feel though the bands should be removed when you finish the cigar/ almost done. Removing them or not, you'll be fine. You'd be surprised- security- it isn't as strict as you'd think.

[ZinZan]

I've been meaning to ask this but it might be a bit off tangent. How do you guys in the stateside receive their CCs? Dont the Customs check when it comes in? The reason I'm asking is I've been wanting to purchase from Czar but in Malaysia we've got 100% tax on alcohol and tobacco products. I am prepared to pay but was hoping if I could avoid it would be great. The czar price plus taxes are still cheaper than the B&M here but not cheaper than the Duty Free shops at the airports (where i usually buy my boxes). Appreciate your help in this.

[thechenman]

I've been meaning to ask this but it might be a bit off tangent. How do you guys in the stateside receive their CCs? Dont the Customs check when it comes in? The reason I'm asking is I've been wanting to purchase from Czar but in Malaysia we've got 100% tax on alcohol and tobacco products. I am prepared to pay but was hoping if I could avoid it would be great. The czar price plus taxes are still cheaper than the B&M here but not cheaper than the Duty Free shops at the airports (where i usually buy my boxes). Appreciate your help in this.

I would suggest that your best course of action would be to contact Czar directly. They would certainly be your best source of information.

[Colt45]

I would suggest that your best course of action would be to contact Czar directly.

Yes - this is the type of thing which should not be discussed openly on the forum.

[TripaLarga]

Sorry about the tardy response. Cheers for all the feedback guys, much appreciated. As far as bands are concerned, to be honest, I've always removed bands whenever possible (ie, when not too stuck to the wrapper leaf) before smoking, and I'll have no problems telling my cigars apart.

I'll remove the bands and store them in my hold luggage in a humipouch inside an unmarked cedar box.

...if someone challenges you/them, really challenges, I believe the burden of proof is on you to proove the cigars are not Cuban rather than for a customs official to proove they are.

Really? Surely you can't go confiscating anyones cgars just because they don't have "proof" that they aren't Havanas o_O, that's basically a case of guilty until proven innocent. Well, I could also go to the cigar store I used to work at and ask for an empty non-cuban cigar box to put them inside. Maybe that would help?

[thechenman]

Personally with unbanded cigars, there is very little liklihood that they will be confiscated. If you want to be extra safe, just place the cigars in your checked baggage. Do not carry them on.

[TripaLarga]

Righto, thanks for the tips. Sounds pretty safe.

[TDCOOK]

I Agree.. Remove the Bands and Limit the amount !

[Habanos2000]

Surely you can't go confiscating anyones cgars just because they don't have "proof" that they aren't Havanas o_O, that's basically a case of guilty until proven innocent.

Oh yes they can! But in all honesty, I don't think you have much to worry about. Now if you were bringing multiple boxes or a large quantity in, that would be a different story.

Just relax and enjoy your trip!

[TripaLarga]

Oh yes they can! But in all honesty, I don't think you have much to worry about. Now if you were bringing multiple boxes or a large quantity in, that would be a different story.

Just relax and enjoy your trip!

Sure, I wasn't that worried, but thanks for the reassurances and advice. I certainly will enjoy my trip! Going to spend the summer with my lady, who, despite not really being a "smoker", is actually looking foreward to smoking some good Havanas together - she's a serious keeper

[Van55]

Ship them to the address you are staying at.

Good advice.

Even foreign nationals are prohibited from importing Cuban cigars into the U.S. If your stuff is searched and they are found, they are subject to seizure, banded or not, under the presumption that Customs sometimes applies that they are Cuban unless you can prove otherwise.

That said, chances of seizure are probably pretty remote.