Duty Free Cigars

[kydsid]

All duty free is a shop operating in a country without having to pay any taxes on those items under the assumption those items will be leaving the country. The pricing structure is not compared to what is available in the country it is located but is priced against where the customers will be going. It may be expensive to you but those cigars are probably cheaper than where someone is headed.

Customs doesn't care if it is duty free or not there is no such thing. Customs does care what you have and where it came from, even if you bought it in the US and are just bringing it back.

Customs, at least US Customs and Border Protection, has no way to know if you went to a duty free shop before returning to the US, unless of course you have a big duty free bag when you arrive and they want to know what they can charge you duty for.


Any other questions just let me know.

[Don Fernando]

Originally Posted by kydsid

All duty free is a shop operating in a country without having to pay any taxes on those items under the assumption those items will be leaving the country. The pricing structure is not compared to what is available in the country it is located but is priced against where the customers will be going.

Sorry, but that sounds like bs to me, because from most international airports (like Miami) you can fly to so many destinations that pricing the items based on where you are going is impossible. The shop doesn't know weather you fly to cheap India or expensive Australia.

[kydsid]

Originally Posted by Don Fernando

No, it will not flag you, but if you are picked out for a check you're in trouble.

Only if you are a US Citizen. You would have no problem other than the possible seizure and/or destruction of the cigars IF they are from Cuba. A USC would have the same thing plus a small chance that US Treasury would be interested if and only if it was directly reported to them.

Originally Posted by Don Fernando

Sorry, but that sounds like bs to me, because from most international airports (like Miami) you can fly to so many destinations that pricing the items based on where you are going is impossible. The shop doesn't know weather you fly to cheap India or expensive Australia.

Well there are many factors here including market research to ID your customer base. In addition to requirements in some places to put down or provide proof you are an international departing passenger. A lot of information can be gained from research models. Add a captive audience and knowledge about departing flights and voluntarily given info such as destination and it is very possible. But hey what do I know I just audited duty free stores for a living once upon time.