Suckling gets popped by customs

[puros71]

Did you guys read his cuurent blog on CA? US Customs cut up his Cuban cigars, how horrible!

Epilogue to the Havana BlogPosted: 11:07 AM ET, March 05, 2008

My friend, Tom Unvert, laughed and said “don’t worry about it buddy. Just get here in one piece for the party.”

But it did suck. I had 19 very nice cigars in my courier bag, including a five-pack selection of torpedos for Tom’s birthday present. The rest were mostly the new limited edition Partagas Serie D No. 5 and the Partagas Serie P in Tubos. It was the first time in 17 years that I had been stopped by customs and had cigars confiscated. Most times the customs guys don’t ask or simply let me go with a few smokes in my bags.

Granted, it is technically breaking the law. Since a few years ago, even licensed travelers to the island are not allowed to bring anything back from Cuba. Before, you could bring to the states $100 or less of Cuban goods from a licensed trip to the island. Today, only a few products are exempted, such as literature and art.

I knew I was in deep **** the moment I arrived at immigration and the officer wanted to know what sort of business I was in. I said I was European Editor of Cigar Aficionado.

“When was the last time you were in Cuba?” he asked.

“This morning,” I replied.

With that, he drew a big red “C” in the corner. I was directed to the customs hall for inspection. I wasn’t that worried about it though. The worse thing that I knew they could do was to confiscate the cigars.

Anyway, the first customs officer didn’t really know what to think. He asked me for press credentials and a license from the Office of Foreign Asset Control, which I told him I did not need to have on me. He had to speak to his supervisor.

“How many cigars do you have?” he said, looking like he was happy that he had a live one on the line.

I told him that I had 15 or so. “Let me see them please,” he said. “Don’t you know that we have an embargo with Cuba?”

I tried to explain to him that I knew all about the embargo and that I had been going to Cuba for 17 years. I knew that I wasn’t supposed to bring the cigars in but I wasn’t planning on leaving them in the states.

“When are you going back to Europe?” he asked.

“In about a week,” I said.

“How am I supposed to know that you didn’t smoke them while you are in the United States?” he said.

I guess he had a point. I promise you that I would not have left them in the states. And if I did, they would have been in the form of ashes!

His supervisor finally came out and said he was really sorry that they had to confiscate and destroy the cigars. “If you were in transit today, I would let you go,” he said. “But you are staying in the states for a while. We are going to have to follow the law.”

Another officer then came out with a menacing looking five-inch hunting knife. At first, I had a flashback to the movie “Deliverance,” but in fact it was only to cut up the cigars. I stood and watched every one cut in two -- lengthwise -- and thrown in a wastebasket.

“This is the part of my job I really hate,” said the officer.

I don’t begrudge any of them. They were just doing their jobs. And they were nice guys too. We spoke about Cuba for a while. They were really interested in the current situation. Then we spoke about cigars too. They said that just about every day the same thing happens, although most of the cigars look fake. They are most busy in the summer.

But at the end of the day it all seemed like a waste of everyone’s time and a sad waste of great cigars. I turned up empty handed at the party in California – just like most everyone else who wish to smoke Cuban cigars in America.

[shortsqueeze]

How did you fare on your way back?

[puros71]

I dont bring nothing back to stir up suspicion.

[shortsqueeze]

That's the way to go.

[brian1]

"I said I was European Editor of Cigar Aficionado"

____________________________________________

Dont you know who I am!!! LOL:clap:

[puros71]

Thats all he needed to say for them to pop the question and open his bags up.

[n2advnture]

Interesting that they were "just following the law" but seem to not understand it fully. :-D

[KB24]

» Thats all he needed to say for them to pop the question and open his bags

» up.

HAHAA might as well said "I'm a cuban cigar smuggler."

[First Lady]

They had him marked from the start.....

That would be hell seeing them cut the cigars :-(

That reminds me of a story from one of our Ozzie clients who lived in the States. He had purchased cigars from us to take over when visiting for the holidays and got pulled aside at customs... yep you guessed right they took his cigars but didn't cut them up.... no it was even worse.. As he was outside waiting to be picked up he saw the same customs guys outside smoking his taken cigars.... He was so upset and angry but what can you do :-(

[greenpimp]

They saw through his ruse that he was "European," and noticed he was just some little punk from Orange County California who was pretending to be from Italy. Not a very good actor, that Suckling.

[skindiver]

» They saw through his ruse that he was "European," and noticed he was just

» some little punk from Orange County California who was pretending to be

» from Italy. Not a very good actor, that Suckling.

Poor James! LOL He says he was in Cuba that morning and they check his suitcase! Imagine that!

[El Presidente]

I met suckling in Havana for the vintage cigar pairing with the 2008 LE releases (post for another day).

He looks and speaks like a Cali boy and I guess he knew he was going to be taken given he was only carrying 15 cigars. Like him or loathe him....he isn't a fool ;-)

[skindiver]

» I met suckling in Havana for the vintage cigar pairing with the 2008 LE

» releases (post for another day).

»

» He looks and speaks like a Cali boy and I guess he knew he was going to be

» taken given he was only carrying 15 cigars. Like him or loathe him....he

» isn't a fool ;-)

He'd never been caught. Bulletproof. He told them he'd last visited Cuba that morning!! He's had 17 years experience being a fool. You can tell I like him, Rob! You are way too kind, mi amigo.

[crossbow]

» » I met suckling in Havana for the vintage cigar pairing with the 2008 LE

» » releases (post for another day).

» »

» » He looks and speaks like a Cali boy and I guess he knew he was going to

» be

» » taken given he was only carrying 15 cigars. Like him or loathe

» him....he

» » isn't a fool ;-)

»

» He'd never been caught. Bulletproof. He told them he'd last visited Cuba

» that morning!! He's had 17 years experience being a fool. You can tell I

» like him, Rob! You are way too kind, mi amigo.

Skindiver is right El Prez. 17 years!! It certainly took the law of averages to catch up on that one.

I am also sure there are no direct flights from Cuba into the US. He could have said he came from the city where he had to switch planes going into the US. Which I am sure is also an international flight.

[shortsqueeze]

» » » I met suckling in Havana for the vintage cigar pairing with the 2008

» LE

» » » releases (post for another day).

» » »

» » » He looks and speaks like a Cali boy and I guess he knew he was going

» to

» » be

» » » taken given he was only carrying 15 cigars. Like him or loathe

» » him....he

» » » isn't a fool ;-)

» »

» » He'd never been caught. Bulletproof. He told them he'd last visited

» Cuba

» » that morning!! He's had 17 years experience being a fool. You can tell

» I

» » like him, Rob! You are way too kind, mi amigo.

»

» Skindiver is right El Prez. 17 years!! It certainly took the law of

» averages to catch up on that one.

»

» I am also sure there are no direct flights from Cuba into the US. He

» could have said he came from the city where he had to switch planes going

» into the US. Which I am sure is also an international flight.

There are direct flights to the US. They are OFAC licensed charters. Used to fly from NYC, LA and Miami but I think only Miami now. He couldn't "say" anything. Penalties would have been much more severe if he got caught in a lie to a federal agent.

[gyosa]

is suckling a US citizen ???

if so , i wonder why he thinks "The worse thing that I knew they could do was to confiscate the cigars" .....

i can assure you , that if he is indeed a us citizen , the customs agent can do FAR more than "just confiscate" his cigars ... like a HUGE fine and various other things - IF the agent WANTED to , and if the agent wanted to be a dickhead ......

trust me , i see it happen often.....

[Fishhound]

» is suckling a US citizen ???

»

» if so , i wonder why he thinks "The worse thing that I knew they could do

» was to confiscate the cigars" .....

»

» i can assure you , that if he is indeed a us citizen , the customs agent

» can do FAR more than "just confiscate" his cigars ... like a HUGE fine and

» various other things - IF the agent WANTED to , and if the agent wanted to

» be a dickhead ......

»

» trust me , i see it happen often.....

He is not a citizen of the US. He is a citizen of Italy.

[gyosa]

ok ....

makes sense ...

» He is not a citizen of the US. He is a citizen of Italy.

[greenpimp]

»

» He is not a citizen of the US. He is a citizen of Italy.

Actually that is not true, if I remember correctly. He married a European. Grew up in the US, so Cal I think. He has dual citizenship now.

He is many things, but I would not call him European. He is European like Madonna is European. ;-)

[shortsqueeze]

Suckling is a US Citizen (not sure about dual) and he carries a journalist OFAC license.

[Ken Gargett]

i have no idea what citizenship he holds but i know that from a wine perspective, he lives in italy. spent a lot of effort in covering portugal a few years back and is highly regarded there. now an italian authority (i'd disgree with with a few ratings and reviews, especially the infamous 100 point vintage of a few years back, but you will not find any wine scribes that all agree - half the fun) and covers much of the rest of europe.

this trip was the first time i have met him and he was very pleasant. he is a good mate of some mates of mine and they speak highly. he did talk about the 2001 LE's he had at home, i assume simply an error of vintage as there are none.

worth mentioning that our cuban mate jose, who doesn't tolerate tossers and wankers, likes him a lot.

as for losing the cigars, the fact that he had so few suggests he knew it was always a possibility and those suggesting he made a mistake telling the truth to the questions posed have obviously not experienced the wrath of officialdom should one be caught in the lie. can't bag anyone for telling the truth.