Cuban Cigars, can you bring them home?

[Richard]

We went to Mexico last week for vacation (Cabo). While there, I recalled a friend who is always chomping on a cigar (I don't smoke). I realized I might be able to find some Cuban cigars there....and did.

Knowing there is/was an embargo on Cuban things, I looked it up on the internet and found some specific comments stating that it is illegal to bring Cuban cigars into the USA. I ALSO read that it was OK to bring them into the USA if for personal consumption AND you did not buy them directly in Cuba, implying that if bought in Mexico, for personal consumption, you could bring them in.

So I bought a couple long ones for him....then the day before we left, I bought a handful of them and literally stuffed them into my shirt pocket.

Working our way home, get to customs. Guy had been processing people in the line (but interestingly stopped and chatted with us which was a bit odd)

Basic commentary was:

"Anything to declare?"

Yeah, we have:
1. Some wooden arts/crafts that we bought (think candy dish)
2. T-shirts, couple hats
3. Some cigars
4. Several units of Vanilla

To which he muttered something that I didn't understand. He pulls his mask down and says "and $10,000 cash on your person? HAHAHAHAHAHA"

I had no clue what he meant by that, was he serious or what to make of it..... so I said something stupid like my $10,000 cash is in the sun-visor of my car" and he waived us on. Keep in mind, I had the cigars in my pocket at that moment in time.

We walked on presuming that he wasn't the actual person who would care about any cigars.... OR, he might have flagged us for when we go back through the scanners, they know to pull us aside.... so I was still ready to have the discussion.

I might add.... I was totally fine if it was a violation to bring them home, to toss them ($200) I wasn't out to break any laws but, I couldn't find anything consistent with what the (current) laws are.

Then it dawned on me...

What if it is LEGAL to bring them in, he might have been horsing around with me for some strange reason. He didn't horse around with anyone in front of us and there was a pack of people behind us to be wasting time horsing around. I don't know what to make of his stupidity.

What if it is ILLEGAL to bring them in. He might have thought I was kidding about them. After all, what moron is going to intentionally break the law and spew out that fact to him at first opportunity? He might have thought that "I" was joking about having them, to which his response back was "do you have your $10,000 cash on your person to pay your fines?" hahahahahaha With him not realizing that I was being totally serious and they were in my pocket as I was speaking to him.

So I got them home and delivered to my friend who was VERY appreciative. I still have no idea if I violated anything or not.

Anyone know the facts?

 

[2LaneCruzer]

I know one thing, the custom agents I recall had no sense of humor; in fact, we were advised not to kid around with them.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

I've been to many countries. Just act like you know what you're doing. I have several big Cuban cigar tins. I keep tools in them now.

 

[oosik]

It was 1975. We had driven out of Alaska in our Datsun 2000 sports car. It was the most uncomfortable trip I've ever made. Going out the ALCAN. Coming back was no piece of cake either.

On our return - we made an extended drive so that we could get to the Canada to Alaska border crossing( Beaver Creek) before it closed for the day.

I was young - I was tired. The border agents asked - "do you have anything to declare". I could not believe he would ask this. We were in a small sports car - no where to hide anything other than a change of clothes.

So ...... I said - " yes, there is a davenport in the trunk". Four hours later - after tearing everything off/out of the car, except the engine. We were allowed to pass on into Alaska.

I think my wife would have caused me serious bodily injury - if she had the chance.

 

[oosik]

Another story. The wife and I belonged to the Spokane chapter of the Harley Davidson club. We joined the group making a trip into Canada. About fifteen of us - all on Harleys.

At the USA/Canada border - the leader of this pack rolled across the yellow line - into Canada and racked off his pipes. Fortunately - we were near the rear of the pack. I told the wife to get back on the bike. We immediately turned around and headed back home.

I learned later, at a club meeting, the entire group was detained for three hours while several border agents went thru everything on every person and every bike.

Folks tend to forget - Canada IS a foreign country. And they don't like loud, obnoxious bikers any better than the LEO's in the USA.

 

[96snma]

$10,000 is the amount of cash that you are allowed to cross the border without declaring. You can take more but will have to declare and provide proof of where it was acquired legally. It’s supposedly to stop large money trafficking.

If you get caught with $250k without declaring it they will seize the money. He made a “joke” to see how you would react and if you became nervous.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Friend of mine and a group of his friends had been to Mexico, and were stopped at the border. They were asked where they had been and what they had done. One of the girls said something to the effect that "They were Russian spies, and were returning with what they came for". He said they were there for a looooong time!

 

[Macinnis]

they don’t really care if you have less then a box. If they find an actual cigar box, they may investigate.

easy way to get them through customs is to just take the bands off, no way to know they are Cuban then. If you do buy a box, ask for a non Cuban box and just remove the bands, put in the non Cuban box and you should be good. Done this a few times.

we were in spain, at a cigar store, I was asking the guy how much for this box…too expensive. Sorry, what about this one. My wife was standing there doing the money conversion. I really didn’t want to spend more than $5 per cigar. Anyway, box number three was a decent price so I bought them.

back at the hotel I lit one up and it was amazing…couldn’t believe they were only about $5 each. I look at the receipt and the wife messed up the conversion…they were almost $20 each…lol. Well worth it.

 

[MossRoad]

....

Anyone know the facts?

I was curious so I did a search. Got this. You can't bring them in from Cuba. Apparently you can't bring them in from a 3rd country either. At least that's the way I read it.

CBP Customer Service

 

[oosik]

We use to come "outside" from Alaska to visit our folks every three years or so. NEVER noticed that any of the border guards had much of a sense of humor. I've not been back to Canada since it now requires a passport.

Speaking of cigars. We use to smoke these NASTY Mexican cigars when we lived in AK. Looked similar to a dog turd. Very good at keeping the mosquitos away. We never theorized on what they must have been made of.

 

[Richard]

Dang MossToad, (ha, just love it)

Anyway, good research Hard (for me) to do on my phone at night after a days activity.

So I guess this means I am a smuggler.

Very ironically, today, I got a typical 'scam call'. They called on my work provided phone so I'm sort of required to answer.... the moment I heard a silence, then a click, I knew it was a scam call.

The ironic part is (oh, I hit :#1 to be transferred to a representative to fix my emergency problem, that I didn't know I had)

None the less.... instead of the call being about my (1995) car warranty about to expire, it was about CUSTOMS. This is why I went ahead and hit for Representative.

When he got on, he identified himself as customs and what was my issue? I said I didn't know, "you called me".

"Didn't the operator give you a reference number?"

"Nope..... but I DO freely admit to being a smuggler"

He hung up on me and no black helicopters have circled my house yet. Dang. I thought I'd make tonight's news.

 

[JasperFrank]

Does it matter if the Cigar is Cuban? In a blind test I doubt if any one could tell the difference between a Cuban, a Dominican Republican, Nicaraguan, or Honduran made cigar. All of which are readily available in the United States.

 

[etpm]

After moving to WA in 1980 My wife and I went on a ferry trip to Canada. I bought a case of Canadian beer because at the time it was hard to find in WA. Coming back Customs asked if I had anything to declare and I pointed to the case of beer visible through the window. He said that was a little more than I was supposed to bring back without paying a duty but that he would let it go this time. He could tell I was young and naive. I asked how much I could bring in but he just smiled at me and waved us on. We were in a long line of cars all waiting after all. When I got home I asked folks who would know and was told I could only bring back 1 liter of beer, wine, or spirits. Since then I have been pretty good about checking what I can bring back.
Eric

 

[dmccarty]

I know one thing, the custom agents I recall had no sense of humor; in fact, we were advised not to kid around with them.

Nobody has told me this, but I don't joke around with Customs or Immigration officers. Even then, they did not like my answers when we returned from China. Thankfully, we the last US passport holders off the full plane and there was a long line of people they needed to check. Pretty sure the officer pushed a button to tell other officers to search us for some reason. Like I said, was not joking around, only answered what was asked, yada yada yada.

As were walking passed the table where the do searches I heard two officers say to not to bother, they had a huge line of people to process.

What we were worried about was the medicinal herbs that our host in China had given us....



It was sold in stores but she had some growing in the garden. I can' remember the name but I have seen in growing the states. Anyway, it was a dried, green plant material ground into flakes....



You burn the herb, yeah, yeah, yeah, I hear ya'll laughing now... You burn the herb in an enclosed brass puck like device that is put into a fabric sack. The herb heats the brass puck and you use it like a heating pad. The smoke is supposed to be good for you too. I can still here the laughter in TBN Land.

To make it worse, the dried, green plant material was wrapped in white paper and looked like a huge cigar.

I really did not want to try to explain to Customs the Chinese herb heating pad....



Later,
Dan

 

[PuffyC]

In my experience they generally don’t care about personal use amounts of just about anything consumable, up to and including things that might get you arrested in some states. I figure it’s best to only declare the obvious and plead stupidity if they find anything else because worst case is they take it and toss it. You’re not who they’re really looking for.

 

[Torvy]

Worst case is they find it take it and fine you (amount depends on value of contraband).

OP, your punishment for violation is to smoke all of the cigars at the same time. That should teach you to stop smuggling, er smoking.

 

[JethroB]

We use to come "outside" from Alaska to visit our folks every three years or so. NEVER noticed that any of the border guards had much of a sense of humor. I've not been back to Canada since it now requires a passport.

Speaking of cigars. We use to smoke these NASTY Mexican cigars when we lived in AK. Looked similar to a dog turd. Very good at keeping the mosquitos away. We never theorized on what they must have been made of.

As teenagers it was Swisher Sweet Tips for the gnats and mosquitoes. If you were really tough it was a Moonshine Crook.

 

[California]

We visited younger daughter during her semester abroad in New Delhi. After landing at San Francisco in the middle of the night, dead tired, our luggage never came out of customs. So we waited. Until we were the last people in the room. The customs agent rudely demanded that I swab a paper napkin on my hand then he put the napkin in some kind of scanner. WTFFFF???? He came back and interrogated us thoroughly about every place we had been in three weeks. Then he still wouldn't let us proceed.

It finally occurred to me to explain that we and our luggage reeked of gunpowder because we had just endured a week of blinding fireworks smoke in New Delhi during Diwali - a national holiday in India. (Before US Thanksgiving). Think July 4 and New Years combined. A week long. The smoke was so bad it hurt your throat and you couldn't see the length of a block, a lot of the time. Indians love their fireworks. He looked like a light bulb clicked on. Here's your (messily searched) luggage. You're released.

Welcome home?

Then more recently we've been waved through the No Search boarding station for departures. Age? Or did that incident start a TSA file on us marked 'Don't bother, they're harmless'. ?

 

[tshep]

Coming back from Jamaica or Bahama - a while ago - we were not supposed to have any plants. They passed us on with an aloe plant - because we were all obviously burnt - called it medicinal.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Are they actual Cubans? Mexico is a hotbed for counterfeit Cubans... my in-laws brought some home to me. I was like... yeah... um... thanks. I acted excited, but knew Cubans do not come in boxes with glass lids I didn’t have the heart to tell them they were fakes.You can verify the barcode on Habanos to see if they are in fact real.
They should have a holographic label, barcode you can verify online, and the Habanos paper in the box that will curl from the heat of the palm of your hand.

I came across these recently. Switzerland ships worldwide.