Duty Free into the States

[Str8BlkCoffee]

Just checking in to see if anyone has had any recent issues buying from duty free while flying into the States? I am flying into Boston and I was hoping to pick-up a few boxes in transit. I am would rather not have to part with them if declared @ customs.

Thanks in advance 😀

[ChangBang]

You aren't allowed to bring cubans into the US duty free or otherwise.  If you declare em as cuban cigars, you will lose them.  There also would def would not be any real cubans sold in our duty frees.

Might be able to argue they're NCs if you throw away the box and stuff?

[Nino]

Flying into Boston - nice, but knowing where you are departing from might be more useful regarding the Duty Free shops  ...

Frankfurt has a good Cuban selection.

I have flown a lot into the US, always some Cubans with me, sometimes even a box or 2 for friends.

Never had a problem but I was mostly in uniform and passing through the crew channel ...

As long as you do not declare them you should/could be fine.

[Cairo]

For folks interested in raw data, here is the latest seizure report from our friends in US Customs:

https://www.forfeiture.gov/pdf/CBP/OfficialNotification.pdf

I don't see any cigars listed for Boston during the reporting period.

[Str8BlkCoffee]

I will be flying out of Dubai if that makes a difference. I have purchased from the Duty Free there before but not recently since changes the have occurred.

[Wookie]

I’ve brought cigars through Boston since the 1990s. Never declared. Never had an issue, though a friend once did. Used to be sketchier. Now I don’t think they are even worried about cigars. Bigger fish to fry. 

[Nino]

55 minutes ago, Str8BlkCoffee said:

I will be flying out of Dubai if that makes a difference. I have purchased from the Duty Free there before but not recently since changes the have occurred.

Well, you have one of the best DF stores and selections worldwide in DXB ...

[Chas.Alpha]

It’s been some years since I last flew in from overseas, so my info is likely outdated. I came into JFK from Charles D in Paris, where I picked up 2 boxes of Monte #2’s at the duty free. The customs officer opened my bag, closed it and I moved along to the terminal. That same customs officer took his break and ended up sitting next to me in the smoking area. He noticed that I was burning a Cuban pc, and since I was already “free” from customs I asked him about the Monte’s that he obviously saw in my bag. His response was “if your bringing a box or two, they’re likely for you (not selling them) and we generally don’t make a fuss, unless our supervisor is watching. It’s the guys that try to bring 15-20 boxes under our noses like we’re stupid, we find that personally insulting.” I asked if he would like a couple of sticks, and he was very grateful.

[Str8BlkCoffee]

Awesome, thanks for the replies. 😀

[Huckleberry]

12 hours ago, Cairo said:

For folks interested in raw data, here is the latest seizure report from our friends in US Customs:

https://www.forfeiture.gov/pdf/CBP/OfficialNotification.pdf

I don't see any cigars listed for Boston during the reporting period.

I don't know whether to be startled by how few cigars are seized or run down the street in celebration

[Rupe]

14 hours ago, Cairo said:

For folks interested in raw data, here is the latest seizure report from our friends in US Customs:

https://www.forfeiture.gov/pdf/CBP/OfficialNotification.pdf

I don't see any cigars listed for Boston during the reporting period.

Very interesting. There are 1404 pages in this document with some seizures going as far back as 2017 and only 13 cases of cigars being seized by US customs. I am assuming this covers both people carrying product with them as well as incoming cargo/mail shipments?

I would say the odds are pretty good you are not going to have an issue.

[Cairo]

51 minutes ago, Rupe said:

I am assuming this covers both people carrying product with them as well as incoming cargo/mail shipments?

Correct.    Right now Cuban cigars are a very low priority.   Of course that is no guarantee of future customs policy.