Bringing tobacco from france

limester816

Hey all, I'm in Paris right now, and I want to bring some cigars/cigarillos back to the states, but I'm not entirely sure of the rules. Can I bring back Cubans? What is the limit? Do they check you for tobacco products in customs/Do you have to declare it if you're under the limit?

Also, what are some good products to buy here in Paris, there's as many French/European brands as there are Latin-American.

Thanks!

Anonymous Robot

limester816 wrote: »

Hey all, I'm in Paris right now, and I want to bring some cigars/cigarillos back to the states, but I'm not entirely sure of the rules. Can I bring back Cubans? What is the limit? Do they check you for tobacco products in customs/Do you have to declare it if you're under the limit?

Also, what are some good products to buy here in Paris, there's as many French/European brands as there are Latin-American.

Thanks!

You cannot bring Cubans over the border, legally, in any way.

limester816

And I assume it's risky to do it?

FirstComradeStalin

I've brought Cubans over. They tend to not care. It is illegal, technically, but I also brought back a bottle of Absinthe, my bags were checked at customs at LaGuardia, and nothing was done.

Not to derail anything, but I have a large, full tiger skin that I inherited from India. I know it's illegal, but I'm pretty sure it's from the 60s or 70s when it was still legal to hunt tigers. Is there any way to get it checked and authorized so I can bring it to America? I don't expect a solution, but you never know.

limester816

wow, that's really cool (the tiger skin). yea, I think I'll try to bring back some coronas or something. thanks for the info

Raneados

aren't you not supposed to give illegal advice?

FirstComradeStalin

I was only sharing my own experience, I never said he should do it.

Raneados

after looking around a little, I've found that you should be okay bringing cigars back to the states (as long as they're not Cubans). However, I can't find specifics on how much is allowed.

Raneados

here we go, here's something at least

http://www.cigars-of-cuba.com/faq/faq_us.asp

Gafoto

I brought back sake and other alcohol from Japan when I was 18. The customs never even looked at my bags. What I'm getting at here is that luggage that has been checked doesn't get inspected and if the country it was checked in thinks that Cubans are fine, you will probably get away with this heinous crime.

BTW Raneados, the amount allowed is a dollar value amount. I'm pretty sure it's got to be less than 1000 or so or the US assumes you're importing things for sale inside the country. So if you're bringing back 100 bucks worth of cigars in your carry-on or whatever you're probably going to be ok. You might want to keep receipts just in case though.

BlazeFire

Gafoto wrote: »

I brought back sake and other alcohol from Japan when I was 18. The customs never even looked at my bags. What I'm getting at here is that luggage that has been checked doesn't get inspected and if the country it was checked in thinks that Cubans are fine, you will probably get away with this heinous crime.

This isn't true. On my return flights to Canada from Greece, my family and I have had luggage opened. That's part of the point of customs, that the country you're leaving may not care what is in your bags, but the country you're going into might.

FirstComradeStalin

BlazeFire wrote: »

Gafoto wrote: »

I brought back sake and other alcohol from Japan when I was 18. The customs never even looked at my bags. What I'm getting at here is that luggage that has been checked doesn't get inspected and if the country it was checked in thinks that Cubans are fine, you will probably get away with this heinous crime.

This isn't true. On my return flights to Canada from Greece, my family and I have had luggage opened. That's part of the point of customs, that the country you're leaving may not care what is in your bags, but the country you're going into might.

My bags were opened, too, and they clearly saw the bottle of absinthe and a box of cigars, and didn't say anything, even though my passport, which they also looked at, said I was 16.

Hewn

Try going to a nice cigar shop and ask the clerk what they recommend. Odds are you'll find something of equal or greater quality to the Cubans, except you know, they just lack that whole "can't have them in the US" mystique.

Gafoto

FirstComradeStalin wrote: »

BlazeFire wrote: »

Gafoto wrote: »

I brought back sake and other alcohol from Japan when I was 18. The customs never even looked at my bags. What I'm getting at here is that luggage that has been checked doesn't get inspected and if the country it was checked in thinks that Cubans are fine, you will probably get away with this heinous crime.

This isn't true. On my return flights to Canada from Greece, my family and I have had luggage opened. That's part of the point of customs, that the country you're leaving may not care what is in your bags, but the country you're going into might.

My bags were opened, too, and they clearly saw the bottle of absinthe and a box of cigars, and didn't say anything, even though my passport, which they also looked at, said I was 16.

I'm just sharing my experience. I was coming back from Japan if that made any difference.