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Question about U.S. Customs

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saucybiscuits
Posts: 2554 - Karma: 173
so im returning home to the states tomorrow from france, and im planning on bringing some cigarettes with me. not like a drug smuggling operation, just 3 packs, but i just have a few questions for travel-savvy NS'ers

1. Is this illegal?

And

2. If they are found in my bag, what kind of repercussions should i expect?

Dec 26 2010 11:39AM
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NW_Rider
Posts: 2580 - Karma: 314
As long as you are over 18, and I believe you can bring 1 carton (10 packs). Just check the customs website and it should tell you though, you might be able to get em cheap at a duty free as well.
Dec 26 2010 11:40AM
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Mr.Turtle
Posts: 3690 - Karma: 96
its legal, i wouldn't put them all in your carry-on though, if they're in your main bag then your fine
Dec 26 2010 11:41AM
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saucybiscuits
Posts: 2554 - Karma: 173
yea im not going to put them in my carry on. i figured they would just take them and throw them away if i did this. im putting them in a pretty hidden pocket of my checked bag because unfortunately, I am just one year short of 18.
Dec 26 2010 11:43AM
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saucybiscuits
Posts: 2554 - Karma: 173
i think ill be ok even if they search my bag...... i didnt even know that pocket was there when i packed my bag for the trip
Dec 26 2010 11:49AM
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Mr.Turtle
Posts: 3690 - Karma: 96
i don think age will be a problem since its legal to possess them at 16, you just cant buy them until 18
Dec 26 2010 11:50AM
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Fish_Sandwich.
Posts: 9108 - Karma: 16
1 carton is the limit.  If you buy it at duty free you can get cigs for real cheap, probably like $2 a pack for all the big name brands.  Plus you can get 2 liters of alcohol as well.
Dec 26 2010 1:30PM
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BEARS.
Posts: 5380 - Karma: 696
im excited :)
Dec 26 2010 1:40PM
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titsLOL
Posts: 7485 - Karma: 396
You really like cigs this much?
Dec 26 2010 2:37PM
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Fish_Sandwich.
Posts: 9108 - Karma: 16
He's bringing back like 3 packs?
Your post makes no sense
Dec 26 2010 3:12PM
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r0dubs
Posts: 1764 - Karma: 19
Dec 26 2010 3:37PM
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Barefootin_Fiend
Posts: 7618 - Karma: 4,727
200 cigarettes is the limit, or one carton, that you can bring back in to the states duty free without having to pay tax. If I were you, I'd just toss them in your suitcase. They'll ask you about them when you come through customs. You have to fill out this form and declare the items that you're bringing back. They'll give everyone on the plane a form to fill out before you get off of the plane. I usually don't even put anything down when I'm bringing a couple of packs of smokes back, and they've never said anything to me, but reastically you should declare the three packs on the form to avoid any headaches.

i imagine that they might hassle you a little bit if you don't declare them, and then they find them in a subsequent search of your bags, so just mark them down to avoid the headache. I've been lucky enough to never have them really search my shit, so it's never been a problem for me, but it'd be a bitch to be held up in customs for something as stupid as not declaring an item that falls within the limits of what you can legally bring anyway. PM me if you have any more questions about the customs process.
Dec 26 2010 3:43PM
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Barefootin_Fiend
Posts: 7618 - Karma: 4,727
i didn't see that you are under 18. In that case, just take your chances and don't declare shit. I wouldn't confess to being a minor in possession of tobacco products to a US Customs agent. They probably won't dig through all of your shit anyway. They'll just scan the bags. If they do happen to find them, just pack them in your pants pockets and play dumb like you didn't realize that you still had them.
Dec 26 2010 3:48PM
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Fish_Sandwich.
Posts: 9108 - Karma: 16
Good posts, but they will probably look at you funny if you try to say you forgot about 3 unopened packs of smokes in your pockets haha.

Ya since your under 18 you take the chance of having them confiscated but if they are so cheap it's not a huge deal.
Dec 26 2010 4:42PM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51904 - Karma: 165,543
I just came to say hide the drugs well. Trafficking charges are a bitch
Dec 26 2010 4:47PM
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Fish_Sandwich.
Posts: 9108 - Karma: 16
lol, you must have forgot to read the OP's post.
Dec 26 2010 4:50PM
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fujarome
Posts: 8630 - Karma: 1,561
pack them in your checked bags, don't declare, and walk right through. They won't get you for them. They for one thing, have more important things to be searching for, and also hardly have the means to search for them.

damn near everytime I've flown France-USA (upwards of 20 times) I've brought alcohol and various other things back, even when i was too young to have it in either country. If you're under 18, say it's a gift. Do not however say it isn't yours or anything, because having unknown things in your bags leads down a bad road.

worst comes to worst, they take them away. But i should think that unless you're trying to bring in 4,000 cigarettes in cartons, they won't notice, and if they do, won't care.
Dec 26 2010 4:51PM
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