quote:

Originally posted by matthew-nj/ny:
remove all the bands before you come to the u.s. and nothing can happen to you at customs either way........ enjoy your trip!

I totaly disagree Matt. Even if you remove the bands and or replace them with a Dominican band if they suspect they are contraband they can be confinscated and you can sit there for hours explaining.
There is zero tolerance. They don't have to prove anything.

quote:

Originally posted by Paul Upton:
I never post on this forum, but I had to step in on this one. Don't we all love Mr. Matthew, the tough guy ultimate fighter (wannabe) with the attractive chin strap?

As a State Trooper, having been in law enforcement for quite some time, and holding two masters degrees, I feel I am qualified to speak on this topic.

Everyone, please read everything Matthew said in this post, and then disregard all of it completely. It is all very, very, incorrect (and rather ignorant). "Tough guy" attitudes (especially coming from _average_ sized guys with chin straps) WILL NOT get you ANYWHERE with any law enforcement officer, and that includes customs officials.

The truth is, bringing a Cuban cigar into the US is a risk. If a customs official even suspects it is Cuban, they can and will confiscate it, and give you a harder time than you probably deserve. They need no "proof" and do not like lectures from people they are investigating.

Saying "I know my rights....(blah blah)" will get you no where but a small holding room on the border where you will sit there for hours while they go about normal business. On top of that, they will flag you for any further travel you do, and your life (in airports especially) will become rather complicated.

Just don't risk it.

Matthew, where did you go to college and what did you study? Have you served in the military? I would like to know: from what experience do you draw this "tough guy" mentality from? There are plenty of men on this forum that would humble you in seconds.

So remember, a closed mouth never has a foot in it, Matthew.

I absolutly agree with this responce. Take this to the bank.

quote:

Originally posted by matthew-nj/ny:

quote:

Originally posted by Paul Upton:
I never post on this forum, but I had to step in on this one. Don't we all love Mr. Matthew, the tough guy ultimate fighter (wannabe) with the attractive chin strap?

As a State Trooper, having been in law enforcement for quite some time, and holding two masters degrees, I feel I am qualified to speak on this topic.

Everyone, please read everything Matthew said in this post, and then disregard all of it completely. It is all very, very, incorrect (and rather ignorant). "Tough guy" attitudes (especially coming from _average_ sized guys with chin straps) WILL NOT get you ANYWHERE with any law enforcement officer, and that includes customs officials.

The truth is, bringing a Cuban cigar into the US is a risk. If a customs official even suspects it is Cuban, they can and will confiscate it, and give you a harder time than you probably deserve. They need no "proof" and do not like lectures from people they are investigating.

Saying "I know my rights....(blah blah)" will get you no where but a small holding room on the border where you will sit there for hours while they go about normal business. On top of that, they will flag you for any further travel you do, and your life (in airports especially) will become rather complicated.

Just don't risk it.

Matthew, where did you go to college and what did you study? Have you served in the military? I would like to know: from what experience do you draw this "tough guy" mentality from? There are plenty of men on this forum that would humble you in seconds.

So remember, a closed mouth never has a foot in it, Matthew.

*sigh* ....... i guess the idea of taking the bands off, putting them in dominican boxes, and maybe even strapping on dominican bands on them, then going through customs made me sound like a tough guy with a chin strap..... i apologize if i came off as such.......

i never said i was an "ultimate fighter" but i do train with pro fighters at the renzo gracie academy (224 west 30th st. bsmnt)...... please, by all means, email me, and come down to train one day, and "humble me" physically, and/or mentally, and after that, we can have a cigar up the block, my treat...... theres a little dominican spot/cigar bar, called DR i believe, on west 30th that has leather couches and people actually rolling cigars, cause i do have a lot of questions, being that your a state trooper and seem pretty knowledgable....

thanks paul.

Now that was a good responce Matt. I thought you would get bent out of shape but you proved me wrong.
Good stuff.

Doc's right.
Put a few cigars in a pouch or travel case in the bottom of your bag and forget about them. Don't take the bands off or anything else that might raise suspicion if you happen to be searched, which is unlikely.
If you do happen to be searched and they find them, plead innocence, you always bring cigars with you and completely forgot about them. Be polite. The worst that will happen is they'll take them, even if they find them they might let you keep them, it's not unheard of.
They're cigars, not pipe bombs.

quote:

Originally posted by littoines:

quote:

Originally posted by matthew-nj/ny:
remove all the bands before you come to the u.s. and nothing can happen to you at customs either way........ enjoy your trip!

I totaly disagree Matt. Even if you remove the bands and or replace them with a Dominican band if they suspect they are contraband they can be confinscated and you can sit there for hours explaining.
There is zero tolerance. They don't have to prove anything.

so litt, your saying that if i crossed the boarder with, say, a box of cuban cohibas with a non cc cohiba box, and the non cc red dot tags on the cubans, easily identifiable as non cuban, that i can still get harrassed and my sticks still confiscated?????

quote:

Originally posted by matthew-nj/ny:

so litt, your saying that if i crossed the boarder with, say, a box of cuban cohibas with a non cc cohiba box, and the non cc red dot tags on the cubans, easily identifiable as non cuban, that i can still get harrassed and my sticks still confiscated?????

Yes...I think that's what we're all kind of saying in different ways...They can take them w/o question...Simply to say you're "smuggling" around the taxes, or to accuse you of Cubans...They can take them immediately and you have no immediate recourse available...

If they were dominicans, and you want them back, after you get home, you can write a letter and challenge the confiscation, provide justification, and wait for a response while your sticks sit in a locker somewhere...

They do not alwasy do this, and usually, they'll take a look and wave you through...but something, anything, makes them a little curious, there is no fair predictor of what will happen...and they have all kinds of authority and almost limitless discretion at crossings.

I agree with you...it sucks, but it shouldn't be underestimated...I don't even hassle anymore...buy some sticks when you get there, I figure I'm on vacation, I'll spend the extra cash, explore a new shop, save the potential headache...

jag

quote:

Originally posted by matthew-nj/ny:

quote:

Originally posted by littoines:

quote:

Originally posted by matthew-nj/ny:
remove all the bands before you come to the u.s. and nothing can happen to you at customs either way........ enjoy your trip!

I totaly disagree Matt. Even if you remove the bands and or replace them with a Dominican band if they suspect they are contraband they can be confinscated and you can sit there for hours explaining.
There is zero tolerance. They don't have to prove anything.

so litt, your saying that if i crossed the boarder with, say, a box of cuban cohibas with a non cc cohiba box, and the non cc red dot tags on the cubans, easily identifiable as non cuban, that i can still get harrassed and my sticks still confiscated?????

That is absolutly correct. I live in Buffalo, ten minutes from the border to Fort Erie Ontario.
Zero tolerance. If they suspect they can do what they want.
One time, about ten years ago I was pulled over going to the race track in Fort Erie. I friend about a month earlier rolled a joint in my car. When they searched my car a seed was found. They pretty much took the car apart and kept me in a holding room for a couple hours and repetedly asked me where the marijuana was. Strip search followed and I was reliesed. I was pulled over evey time for about a year after that. Not much fun when you cross the border three times a week to bet on live horse racing.
As far as doing what they want? How's this. I was 19 years old at the time. I crossed the border to Canada on my way to a party at a cottage in Crystal beach. I had three bottles of Crown with me and didn't declare it. When they pulled me over and found it they took it. I filled out some papers declairing it and paid a "tax" on each bottle, in cash mind you, and was told to party hardy as they gave my bottles back and sent me on my way. Were they legit in doing that? probably. But at the time I figured they just took me for about 40 bucks.
If I declaired it and was strait forward I probably would've had no problem.
I am now an angel crossing the border. Yes sir, no sir. Even if they are in a pissy mood. Yes sir, no sir.
Get wise and they red flag you and you will get the treatment everytime you cross the border.
So all in all Matt, you gave your opinion and not fact. We are giving fact not opinion. Don't learn things the hard way in life. Listen to people who have been there and domne that.
Matt, I don't care if you are built and look like Brian Urlacher and the border officer looks like Barny Fife. He owns you for that brief time at the border.

Well, this thread has been entertaining. I'm glad that Matt has seen the light of reason-- and Matt, I commend you for your response; others have not been so gracious.

Doc, while smuggling in a small quantity on your person may lower the risk of being caught, should you actually be caught doing this, you virtually guarantee the harshest treatment from that point forward from border agents, who will correctly identify you as someone trying to be clever with them. The "oops, I forgot those were in the back seat, I'm terribly sorry" defense (for what it's worth) is gone.

What much of this thread points to is that Rule Number One in dealing with any LEO is: Don't fail the attitude test.

For Rule Number Two, see Rule Number One.

A friend in law enforcement says that there are really only two offenses that you can be found guilty of, on the spot: misdemeanor stupid, and felony stupid.

Try not to be felony stupid, folks!

I live near the Windsor, Ontario-Detroit border and cross often as well. I have had my car fully searched twice and quick-searched numerous times, especially since 9/11.

I have occasionally brought back a few Cubans and as long as they were on my person and not in the car, they have never been found. They won't phyisically search you without high suspicions.

About 5 years ago, I was crossing back with a friend who foolishly put a Cuban in the glove box.

It was found. He had to sign a form and destroy the cigar in front of an officer. No fine, not even the embargo lecture I was expecting. It hasn't impacted my travels domestically or internationally. But that was only 1 cigar.

This is exactly where I thought we were going to end up.

Customs and Border Patrol officers DO NOT have a very long list of things to do on a daily basis. They aren't airport security, they aren't on traffic patrol, they don't run radar looking for speeders to issue citations. They are looking for people who are smuggling illegal substances across the border. Whether you have an exotic blue and pink feathered macaw smuggled in your ass, or three cuban cigars, which violates a FEDERAL TRADE EMBARGO, which makes that parrot in your ass a vary low priority, doesn't matter. You need to look at things from their perspective. You have cigars, they COULD be cubans. They have no bands. They COULD possibly contain marijuana in them. You are bringing an item of suspicion across the border. It would be like packing your belongings into a crate that is marked "EXOTIC RARE BIRD SANCTUARY" on it. Yes, the crate and contents are legal, but you raise suspicion due to the nature of the item.

If I were you, I'd wait until you get to the states, pick up some reasonably priced NC's, and enjoy them. Respect our laws, and respect the job that our US Customs and Border Patrol officers do. They are the same people who work day in and day out to make sure that terrorists don't sneak in bombs and other dangerous items in our country. When it comes down to it, whether you smoke NC's or CC's when you are here in the states, it isn't going to make that much of a difference. I do not agree nor endorse the United States' trade embargo against Cuba, but it is there for a reason - because Fidel Castro is a retarded asshat who can't negotiate politics to save his life. As a proud citizen of this country, I do support its laws, regardless of my personal beliefs.