USA / customs limits

[LLC]

A guy posted on another forum the other day about a case gone wrong.  He had 32 boxes.  They determined it was for commercial purposes and took all but 4 boxes.  They didn't even give him the option to pay the fee.  It was the Miami Florida airport.

Not saying it is the case here but there are people from the US that go down monthly and buy $10,000 to bring back and sell. In that case it is for commercial purposes and if customs sees a pattern or makes that assumption, then they will confiscate them.


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[Lotusguy]

A guy posted on another forum the other day about a case gone wrong.  He had 32 boxes.  They determined it was for commercial purposes and took all but 4 boxes.  They didn't even give him the option to pay the fee.  It was the Miami Florida airport.

Sounds like US customs was dead on in this case.

That’s about 800 cigars - you can’t tell me that wasn’t for resale. If there’s anything like karma, it’s one of the notorious FB flippers with their own group.

[JY0]

2 minutes ago, Lotusguy said:

 

Sounds like US customs was dead on in this case.

That’s about 800 cigars - you can’t tell me that wasn’t for resale. If there’s anything like karma, it’s one of the notorious FB flippers with their own group.

 

Maybe, maybe not. I brought in 25 boxes and 3 bundles of customs last May...about 650 cigars and they were all for me. I'm going again next month, this time flying through Miami. Hope I don't have an issue.

[Bagman]

10 hours ago, Lotusguy said:

 

Sounds like US customs was dead on in this case.

That’s about 800 cigars - you can’t tell me that wasn’t for resale. If there’s anything like karma, it’s one of the notorious FB flippers with their own group.

See YOU are the problem.  You are a cigar guy and you think this volume is only for flippers.  I brought back the same amount of cigars last month.  I posted my load here in the "Share you cuban haul" thread.  Aside from giving some away to friends, I will smoke every single one of them.  If a cigar guy can't be convinced, how can we expect customs to believe.  Yikes.  And yes, I'll be back back next year buying an obnoxious amount. 

On a side note, I don't know this person, but from what little I know, I think he is a flipper.  If true, I agree with you in celebrating his failure.

[Bagman]

He took a picture of his cigars being confiscated.

[Markspring1978]

I think it all depends on who you get at customs. Of course, I bet if the customs agent sees that you’re going to Cuba once a month and you’re bringing back 800+ sticks, they will likely be suspicious. 

Last month I brought back 14 boxes from Cayman. The customs agent only joked that he thought that I should know that my cigars were likely from the Dominican. 

[Lotusguy]

He took a picture of his cigars being confiscated.

Shame about the cigars...

[Lotusguy]

See YOU are the problem.  You are a cigar guy and you think this volume is only for flippers.  I brought back the same amount of cigars last month.  I posted my load here in the "Share you cuban haul" thread.  Aside from giving some away to friends, I will smoke every single one of them.  If a cigar guy can't be convinced, how can we expect customs to believe.  Yikes.  And yes, I'll be back back next year buying an obnoxious amount. 
On a side note, I don't know this person, but from what little I know, I think he is a flipper.  If true, I agree with you in celebrating his failure.

Let’s look at it the other way - what percentage of people that bring this much home do not resell? I bet it’s a very small number - we here in this forum don’t represent “average” cigar smokers

The exemption clearly states “for personal consumption” - and it is well within the rights of the customs official to determine what is personal consumption. With an amount like that, you’re definitely taking your chances. My guess is that guy didn’t declare them either in order to save the 4% or whatever it is and so they took a stricter interpretation when they did catch him. If you don’t declare, you’re SOL when caught and they could actually confiscate everything.

[Shelby07]

16 hours ago, Monterey said:

A guy posted on another forum the other day about a case gone wrong.  He had 32 boxes.  They determined it was for commercial purposes and took all but 4 boxes.  They didn't even give him the option to pay the fee.  It was the Miami Florida airport.

I’d be curious to know if he declared them or tried to sneak them in.

[Derboesekoenig]

52 minutes ago, Shelby07 said:

I’d be curious to know if he declared them or tried to sneak them in.

Didn't think about this. Even if I have 500 boxes...I'm going to declare them lol you never know what they decide to do, ya know? They might just let you go. I'm always as nice and cooperative as possible. Helps a ton

[Bagman]

1 hour ago, Shelby07 said:

I’d be curious to know if he declared them or tried to sneak them in.

He declared them.  He did everything right.  What I don't know is how often he goes and if they kept a record of his prior purchases.  When I went thru, I didn't declare my 32 boxes because there was no place to do so.   I was only asked in person if I was bringing plants(?)  or alcohol.  I said "I have 2 bottles of Rum".  She waved me on.

[havanaclub]

He declared them.  He did everything right.  What I don't know is how often he goes and if they kept a record of his prior purchases.  When I went thru, I didn't declare my 32 boxes because there was no place to do so.   I was only asked in person if I was bringing plants(?)  or alcohol.  I said "I have 2 bottles of Rum".  She waved me on.

Do you know him? Or did he just post that he said he declared them? I am willing to bet he may have a record of many trips down to Cuba within the past year or so and they put 2 and 2 together and determined the 32 boxes weren’t for personal consumption and didn’t even give him the chance to pay duties.
Imo bringing 32 boxes back whether they are for personal consumption or not, you are asking for this to happen. At the end of the day, these customs officials can do what they please it seems.


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[crasmith]

On 2/7/2019 at 10:17 AM, JY0 said:

I'm always honest in US Customs. It's legal to bring cigars in for personal use. I'm not going to risk losing them to avoid a 4% duty. (over $800)

I agree. Small price to pay to make sure they get home. ?

[BigSkySmoke]

Hellava snag. Could have happened to anyone going thru...

[La_Tigre]

On 2/10/2019 at 9:16 AM, Monterey said:

He took a picture of his cigars being confiscated.

What all is present there?  Are those Sir Winston x2 on the bottom near the back?

[Bagman]

4 hours ago, La_Tigre said:

What all is present there?  Are those Sir Winston x2 on the bottom near the back?

Montecristo.  Can't remember which ones.  Leyanda, dumas, something like that.

[SmokinNukie]

I passed through the Port of Miami on Monday morning and US Customs simply asked if we had less than 100 cigars each (which we did) and I advised him that they were for personal use only. Cuban Customs getting aboard my ship never asked a question.


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[GotaCohiba]

Sitting in Ft Lauderdale now and was called to the back room for having over 50 cigars. Had 120 

Checked the bags, told me not to try to come back in again with over 50

They let me keep them this time

[JY0]

There is a trend here. Very disappointing. 

[LLC]

What happened to just paying the 4% duty if your over?


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[crasmith]

1 hour ago, GotaCohiba said:

Sitting in Ft Lauderdale now and was called to the back room for having over 50 cigars. Had 120 

Checked the bags, told me not to try to come back in again with over 50

They let me keep them this time

That’s not cool.  Sure don’t like to hear that.  Coming back through Ft Lauderdale in July and was hoping they weren’t cracking down.  So, over 50 and they are a little threatening?

Glad you made it through.

[Corylax18]

2 hours ago, GotaCohiba said:

Sitting in Ft Lauderdale now and was called to the back room for having over 50 cigars. Had 120 

Checked the bags, told me not to try to come back in again with over 50

They let me keep them this time

????????????????

Did you declare anything? Or did they see it on the X ray? These idiots need to get on the same damn page. How do they expect us to hit a moving target? I'm sorry to hear they hassled you, I went through FLL last week with about 200 and three bottle of rum Nobody said a word. Things certainly aren't trending up.

[GotaCohiba]

46 minutes ago, Corylax18 said:

????????????????

Did you declare anything? Or did they see it on the X ray? These idiots need to get on the same damn page. How do they expect us to hit a moving target? I'm sorry to hear they hassled you, I went through FLL last week with about 200 and three bottle of rum Nobody said a word. Things certainly aren't trending up.

I've always declared what I have

That may change in the future due to this trip 

 

[GotaCohiba]

The good news is that my wife and daughter were with me and they didn't bat an eye when they told them that they had 100 ea and 3 bottles of rum

Same agent 

[havanaclub]

The good news is that my wife and daughter were with me and they didn't bat an eye when they told them that they had 100 ea and 3 bottles of rum
Same agent 

So in other words you had 320 cigars in total


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