cigarettes from eu and airport customs

[boloney]

dear all.

I`m due to fly to Poland, country I came from with visit.

I`m planning bring about 10 000 cigarettes back.

Based on information on custom website there is no limit on them from eu country, but if someone have more than 800 they will be asking questions. which is ok, cigarettes are for myself, but burden to prove it is on me.

Facts are as follow:

last time I been to Poland in dec 2010

never been stopped by customs

 

What kind of questions should I expect?

how likely is that they will seize all my cigarettes?

Should I go through red channel ?

how can I prove that they for myself?

I smoke about 40-50 a day, don`t know when will be my next trip to Poland where they costs a lot less than in the UK.

I lived in the Uk for 8 years now.

I don`t wan`t any trouble with customs at the airport.

 

Thanks

[Conniff]

If you have more than one brand, they will definately not believe they are for personal use. 14,000 is only a years worth at 2 packs per day, so 10,000 is not a silly amount.

 

Things that can make them suspicious is the amount of times you travel to and from Poland or other countries and if you are a retail seller, but those two things do not inhibit you from bringing home stuff for personal use.

 

If they really don't believe they are for your personal consumption only, then get them put into bond and go to a court and swear a statement of truth for a few quid and take that to them.

Edited June 24, 2012 by Conniff

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Essential to declare the cigs, if you attempt a concealment

you will be subjected to rigourous inquiries.

[postggj]

is their a legal limit to be reached before you are legally obliged to declare them to customs

 

it is my understanding that you do not have to declare duty free if for personal use within reason

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

It amounts to what is considered reasonable for personal use,

as Coniff say the frequemcy of trips will be looked into as well.

[boloney]

I have been to Poland Dec 2010, than Spain May 2011, Spain again in May 2012

and my next one is to Poland in Aug 2012

Does it look like to many trips abroad,or do they only look at the trips to destination I will be on the way from?

[Conniff]

That looks fine to me, there is no pattern of stocking up there.

[Bang!]

I fly in and out of the UK about 6 to 8 times a year, always at Scottish/Northern English airports. They never seem to have anyone on customs anymore when coming from the eastern EU.

 

Its worth mentioning that there has been in increase in customs activity on ferries posted in many places over the internet, and the limit accepted without question established about eight years ago when the ferry companies financed a court case for a traveller whose car was confiscated for 3200 fags and some rolling tobacco now appears to have been set back to a previously lower level.

 

Although there are no limits on the amount of alcohol and tobacco you can bring in from EU countries, customs officials are more likely to ask you questions if you have more than the following:

 

 

The table failed miserably - but the first number is Goods brought to the UK from the European Union Until 30 September 2011 and the second From 1 October 2011

Cigarettes 3,200 800

Cigars 200 200

Cigarillos 400 400

Tobacco 3 kilograms 1 kilogram

Beer 110 litres 110 litres

Wine 90 litres 90 litres

Spirits 10 litres 10 litres

Fortified wine (for example port or sherry) 20 litres 20 litres

 

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/customs/arriving/arrivingeu.htm

 

Additionally - there is no need to declare goods unless they are potentially banned or restricted (which makes me wonder who would bring something in with a mind to then seek out a BA official as there is no one staffing the "Something to Declare" channel).

 

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/customs/arriving/arrivingeu.htm#3

 

Finally, its worth adding the UK seeks to overpolice limits that are not present, as was substantiated by the ferry case in the past, and with no change in the law, have decided to reduce the limits they see fit to ask questions about. Also in the past the EU had threatened the UK over its treatment of travellers as a potential breach of the free movement laws. Draw your own opinion from these.

 

Entirely OT - but if you can pop up to Kaliningradskaya Oblast, its 30p for a pack of 20.

Edited June 24, 2012 by Bang!

[boloney]

thanks, I know all the limits, just wondered if there will be any trouble with them.

From Russia you can only bring 200 to eu, so if |I had more I will have trouble bringing them to Poland and while flying from Poland to UK Polish customs may check if I paid duty on them in the ue.

they done so to me few years ago, I was called to security room to show that I bought them in eu.

so is not even worth trying.

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Definitely not worth the effort.

[boloney]

also I willbe flying with ryanair and them t&c says

8.3.2 You must not include in Checked Baggage money, jewellery, precious metals, keys, cameras, computers, medicines, spectacles, sunglasses, contact lenses, watches, mobile phones, personal electronic devices, negotiable papers, securities, cigarettes, tobacco or tobacco products or other valuables, business documents, passports and other identification documents or samples.

 

 

how do we go about this?

[assisted blonde]

Well if you cant put it in checked in baggage then you will have to carry as hand luggage which will severly restrict what you can bring in I would have thought. Not sure what Ryanair would do if you just checked in a suitcase full of cigarettes but if it goes missing or is damaged then they have disclaimed responsibility for any prohibited items so at the end of the day its up to you if you want to take a chance on everything arriving in 1 piece.

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

I suggest you leave this now we are NOT going to help you evade

UK customs the risk you take are your own responsibility!!

[boloney]

I suggest you leave this now we are NOT going to help you evade

UK customs the risk you take are your own responsibility!!

wow

as you probably noticed in my first post there is a question if I should go through red channel and let them know what I got, just to be honest with them.

how is it trying avoid UK customs in your opinion? heh

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Quote from post 13#

''I may have to take the risk''.

and ''Is there any one flying with Ryanair with cigarettes in luggagee''.

 

The latter is specifically prohibited in the airlines conditions of travel.

[boloney]

Quote from post 13#

''I may have to take the risk''.

and ''Is there any one flying with Ryanair with cigarettes in luggagee''.

 

The latter is specifically prohibited in the airlines conditions of travel.

that was according to ryanair t&c not uk customs.

once again, if I was about to avoid uk customs I will never think about going through red channel.

anyway thanks for help

[Bang!]

They are for his own use. There is no limit for your own use, so you cannot evade a tax that is not due.

 

As for what goes in his luggage, I think that's pretty much between him and Ryanair as the ANO et al, certainly does not state there is an issue with fags in hold luggage.

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Ryanairs conditions state no cigarrettes in luggage,

if as is probable the luggage is X Rayed then he may

not even make the flight.

[Bang!]

Luggage is X-rayed by security, not by Ryanair. I have carried about a third of the things in the list in hold luggage and never had an issue other than a very wet case once which had a desk top computer inside - but it was fine.

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

How Crass, rules are there for a reason, boasting about

breaking them is pathetic and certainly not helpful, in

my personal opinion of course!!!

[Bang!]

Yes - I am sure everyone always reads through all the T&Cs of which normal everyday items can or cannot be in their luggage.

 

I felt having been a pilot I had quite enough knowledge of what was legal and safe or not. G-ATOJ, there's the reg of the plane I had a share in too if you want to look it up.

 

Additionally, your perspective now differs entirely from the messages you kept sending me last night!! Should I post them here to remind you?

 

BEHAVE! ;-)

Edited June 25, 2012 by Bang!

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

My postion has not changed one bit.

[Bang!]

:D:D:D:D:D

 

Re read what you sent me.

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

:madgrin:Hardly an airbus

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

:D:D:D:D:D

 

Re read what you sent me.

I prefer to help people with REAL problems rather than

those seeking to bring in cigarrettes to the UK on the cheap.

Mr. Pilot.