Fort Lauderdale Int. Customs warning

[Nino]

2 hours ago, Tstew75 said:

He also said things are tense @ Jose Marti with the new US flight restrictions ...tons of drug dogs, many bomb swabs. Pretty militant. This was earlier this week.

Off-Topic : Left HAV at T2 about 10 days ago and everything was extremely relaxed - so relaxed that the passport control lady told me to yell at her boss to open up the control system for my flight .. which I did and happily the bossman opened it so I could have 2 hrs at the smoking lounge ... no dogs, no swabs, no militants - all nice & pretty.

On-Topic : As for customs, I guess being honest, polite and helpful is always a winner.
I keep my customs receipts from last flights so the customs man can more easily calculate the tax.

It helps and I have never had an issue here in Europe.

 

[Cigar Surgeon]

It's 100 cigars. I don't know why agents have got it in their heads the last few years it's 50.

https://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/kbyg/customs-duty-info

Quote

 

Tobacco Products

Returning resident travelers may import tobacco products only in quantities not exceeding the amounts specified in the personal exemptions for which the traveler qualifies (not more than 200 cigarettes and 100 cigars if arriving from other than a beneficiary country and insular possession).

 

 

[sho671]

@The Squiggler and @Fugu I will fully admit that I did not take into consideration splitting the overage amongst 2 or 4 people. That was an oversight on my part. So I guess 4% plus the applicable IRS tax is appropriate. Now the question is what is the applicable IRS tax?

@Mikeltee That is a gross misunderstanding of the point I was trying to make about freezing cigars. I don't have an issue with freezing cigars to abate beetles. The idiocracy is in only freezing cigars bought in Cuba while doing nothing about cigars bought anywhere else in the world just because somebody said to do so online.

@Cigar Surgeon Cuba specific is 50: https://www.cbp.gov/trade/basic-import-export/cbp-public-notice-process-imports-cuba

 

[Cigar Surgeon]

12 minutes ago, sho671 said:

 

@Cigar Surgeon Cuba specific is 50: https://www.cbp.gov/trade/basic-import-export/cbp-public-notice-process-imports-cuba

 

No it's 100, and it was included in the link:

Quote

 On October 17, 2016, the Office of Foreign Asset Control relaxed restrictions so authorized travelers, arriving direct from Cuba, are now able to bring Cuban merchandise for personal use back to the United States and qualify for the U.S. Resident exemption (HTSUS 9804.00.65, which allows up to $800 total in goods, and adults 21 and older may include 1 liter of alcohol, 200 cigarettes, and 100 cigars)

 

[sho671]

@Cigar Surgeon I did see your link, did you check mine? If you scroll to the bottom it was last modified on May 21, 2019. So more recently than 2016 and says 50 cigars.

[Cayman17]

For what it’s worth, they very clearly told me it’s 50 cigars per person and they told me they were going to tax us at 4 percent.    I was allowed to keep everything I had and that was my main priority.  The cashier guy was cool. Actually everyone was pretty cool headed except the one agent who kept asking if I had really gone to Cuba. But he let me keep the cigars. 

[Cigar Surgeon]

18 minutes ago, sho671 said:

@Cigar Surgeon I did see your link, did you check mine? If you scroll to the bottom it was last modified on May 21, 2019. So more recently than 2016 and says 50 cigars.

They can't just arbitrarily decide it's 50 cigars, the limits are set by the State department and the State department has not issued any changes to the list since 2016. The line clearly states that it applies to Cuban goods imported from Cuba or anywhere else in the world:

Quote

On October 17, 2016, the Office of Foreign Asset Control relaxed restrictions so authorized travelers, arriving direct from Cuba, are now able to bring Cuban merchandise for personal use back to the United States and qualify for the U.S. Resident exemption (HTSUS 9804.00.65, which allows up to $800 total in goods, and adults 21 and older may include 1 liter of alcohol, 200 cigarettes, and 100 cigars). This exemption also applies to travelers, arriving from any country in the world, with declared Cuban merchandise.

CBP are pulling some bullshit on this one. 

Digging into this some more, here's where this comes from and shows that CBP is not being honest here

https://hts.usitc.gov/?query=9804.00.80

Quote

 

9804.00.80

Articles (including not over 50 cigars, or 300 cigarettes, or 2 kilograms of smoking tobacco or a proportionate amount of each, and not over 1 liter of alcoholic beverages), reasonable and appropriate, and intended exclusively, for the bona fide personal use of, and (except for articles consumed in use) to be taken out of the United States by, any person arriving in the United States who is leaving a vessel, vehicle or aircraft, engaged in international traffic, on which he is employed, with the intention of resuming such employment

 

 

 

So unless you're an employee of the vessel, 9804.00.80 would not apply and 9804.00.65 would apply which is the standard limit of 100 cigars.

[sho671]

4 minutes ago, Cigar Surgeon said:

They can't just arbitrarily decide it's 50 cigars, the limits are set by the State department and the State department has not issued any changes to the list since 2016. The line clearly states that it applies to Cuban goods imported from Cuba or anywhere else in the world:

CBP are pulling some bullshit on this one. 

It's been 3 years, the laws have been updated. Though the reasoning for lowering maybe arbitrary and bullshit the regulation isn't. Your link refers to HTSUS 9804.00.65, the new regulation is HTSUS 9804.00.80. CBP is only following the current regulation as it is written.

[Cigar Surgeon]

Just now, sho671 said:

It's been 3 years, the laws have been updated. Though the reasoning for lowering maybe arbitrary and bullshit the regulation isn't. Your link refers to HTSUS 9804.00.65, the new regulation is HTSUS 9804.00.80. CBP is only following the current regulation as it is written.

See my update. 9804.00.80 applies to employees of a vessel or aircraft. If you're not an employee 9804.00.65 is the standard that would apply. Fort Lauderdale CBP needs to read their regulations. 

[madandana]

44 minutes ago, Cigar Surgeon said:

See my update. 9804.00.80 applies to employees of a vessel or aircraft. If you're not an employee 9804.00.65 is the standard that would apply. Fort Lauderdale CBP needs to read their regulations. 

Miami as well.

[sho671]

48 minutes ago, Cigar Surgeon said:

See my update. 9804.00.80 applies to employees of a vessel or aircraft. If you're not an employee 9804.00.65 is the standard that would apply. Fort Lauderdale CBP needs to read their regulations. 

Good thing to keep in mind for next time.

[Cigar Surgeon]

1 hour ago, madandana said:

Miami as well.

Well Miami is <moderated> whether you're coming from Cuba, a cruise ship, or Managua. They exist to hassle you.

Houston has been getting steadily worse in recent years as well. 

Know before you go!

[westg]

Now $189 on 240 sticks, mostly Winnies and Robusto. So fair to say about 2.5 kg in tobacco . Come to Austalia with 240 sticks and you will recieve sweet FA change from 3k . 

189 notes ?

[SignalJoe]

1 hour ago, Cigar Surgeon said:

Well Miami is <moderated> whether you're coming from Cuba, a cruise ship, or Managua. They exist to hassle you.

Houston has been getting steadily worse in recent years as well. 

Know before you go!

Came back through Houston a few weeks ago without issue.  The agent asked if I had purchased tobacco when I said yes he asked "how many?"  I told him I have 75 in this bag, He said "Ok" and "welcome back."  I didn't seem like the appropriate time to mention the substantially larger quantities in my checked bags.  

[havanaclub]

189 is what you would come close to paying for 25 cigars in Canada for duties. Consider yourself lucky


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[Cayman17]

1 minute ago, havanaclub said:

189 is what you would come close to paying for 25 cigars in Canada for duties. Consider yourself lucky


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I do consider myself lucky.  I was afraid they were going to tell me I could keep 50 and the rest were staying behind.  I paid without comment and got the hell out of there. 

[Thirds]

Headed through there in Jan from Cuba.  Thank you for posting.  Though it doesn’t sound like I’ll be coming back with anything because there’s nothing to buy!  

Man I hope I keep my mouth shut!  Idiots trigger me. Lol. 

[Derboesekoenig]

2 hours ago, Thirds said:

Headed through there in Jan from Cuba.  Thank you for posting.  Though it doesn’t sound like I’ll be coming back with anything because there’s nothing to buy!  

Man I hope I keep my mouth shut!  Idiots trigger me. Lol. 

Always plenty to buy! And plenty to smoke!!! Just don't go in February or November if you're looking for stuff lol

[Thirds]

1 minute ago, Derboesekoenig said:

Always plenty to buy! And plenty to smoke!!! Just don't go in February or November if you're looking for stuff lol

Thanks for the reassurances.  Headed there mid-January.  I understand the factories are closed to tours in Jan (employees off while I’m there) but near perfect weather is expected and I’ll see rollers at the farm and hopefully LCDH.  

[Derboesekoenig]

29 minutes ago, Thirds said:

Thanks for the reassurances.  Headed there mid-January.  I understand the factories are closed to tours in Jan (employees off while I’m there) but near perfect weather is expected and I’ll see rollers at the farm and hopefully LCDH.  

I've yet to get a factory tour, but did the HLP farm visit last time, which was amazing. I was unaware they were off in January. I just assume normal holidays off but didn't know about that. Should be amazing weather!

[Thirds]

8 hours ago, Derboesekoenig said:

I've yet to get a factory tour, but did the HLP farm visit last time, which was amazing. I was unaware they were off in January. I just assume normal holidays off but didn't know about that. Should be amazing weather!

That was information I was given regarding the factories.  I’ll respond back when I can confirm it myself.  The HLP farm is what excites me the most.  

[CanuckSARTech]

On 12/11/2019 at 7:30 PM, SenorPerfecto said:

10% duty?? Should be like 4%...

Don't moan.  We're to a max of 160% duties for cigar overages here in Canada (2nd only worldwide to Australia, I believe).

[CanuckSARTech]

10 hours ago, Derboesekoenig said:

Always plenty to buy! And plenty to smoke!!! Just don't go in February or November if you're looking for stuff lol

Best times of the year to go, IMO, due to the festivals and overall comraderie of fellow cigar brothers and sisters there at the same time.  You just gotta know what to search for, where to search for, load up on custom sticks instead, and enjoy the challenging hunt for other stuff.  

I have yet to do an update post on our trip in November during the Encuentros Partagas, but I wasn't disappointed.

 

[Bagman]

19 hours ago, Derboesekoenig said:

Always plenty to buy! And plenty to smoke!!! Just don't go in February or November if you're looking for stuff lol

I was there in November.  Plenty to score.  2 boxes of Sir Winston, Hoyo DC, Leyanda, Fundadores, etc . . . .  I did quite well!

[cbenham73]

21 hours ago, Derboesekoenig said:

Always plenty to buy! And plenty to smoke!!! Just don't go in February or November if you're looking for stuff lol

@Derboesekoenig why not visit in February?