Ramerinianair From United States of America, joined Nov 2003, 1486 posts, RR: 0 Posted (7 years 10 months 2 weeks 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 10068 times:
I am wondering how one might transport cigars within America. I know they are illegal in America but if they are already here, how would you go about doing this? Have any of you done this before?
Will the TSA chack to see if the cigars are cuban if they are packed in the checked bags?
Will the screeners look at the labels when going thru security with your carry on bag?
Thanks!
SR
Miamiair From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 1, posted (7 years 10 months 2 weeks 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 10053 times:
TSA isn't Homeland Security/Customs. As long as you don't carry a lighter, snips or anything else that can be construed as a weapon, don't sweat it. Who is to say they didn't get here legally? Yes under certain circumstances, they are not contraband.
Luv2fly From United States of America, joined May 2003, 11957 posts, RR: 51 Reply 2, posted (7 years 10 months 2 weeks 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 10052 times:
You did not here this from me, though in the past when on a cruise I mailed them home to myself right from the US Virgin Islands or SJU.
PDXtriple7 From United States of America, joined Dec 2004, 695 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (7 years 10 months 2 weeks 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 10043 times:
I just got back from Costa Rica and my two friends each took a cuban through a piece. One of flights was domestic and we went through customs. They had no problems. One friend carried it in his pocket without the little stick, and the other packed it carefully in a sweatshirt in his checked luggage. Additionally, they were underage. I would just pack it/them safely in your checked bag since they wouldn't check to see if they were cubans.
EMBQA From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 9286 posts, RR: 13 Reply 4, posted (7 years 10 months 2 weeks 1 day 5 hours ago) and read 10008 times:
As MiamiAir said, just don't pack your cutter or lighter and you'll be fine. TSA will not search your bags unless they see something. Give them nothing to see and you'll be fine. As far as Cuban cigars being legally..that an't gonna happen as they are illegal to import...Besides, it's only the stigma that goes along with them. The best cigars by far com out of the Dominican Republic, which is where most of the good manufactures went after the fall of Cuba and Castro.
"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog"
Kdeg00 From United States of America, joined Dec 2004, 145 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (7 years 10 months 2 weeks 1 day 5 hours ago) and read 9955 times:
Sorry to disillusion you guys, but if TSA sees anything they believe to be illegal (weapon or not) they will report it to the police. Even though their website explicitly states that their authority is solely to look for dangerous items, I had a contraband issue with them this spring where a very small item that could be of no potential danger under any circumstances (though was technically illegal under Oregon law) was found by a TSA dork and called in to the local (and very pleasant) police. It all depends on whether they are doing hand searches or not. If they are, you're screwed.
Expatmatt From Liechtenstein, joined Oct 2004, 113 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (7 years 10 months 2 weeks 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 9921 times:
Simple solution - take all labels and papers off the cigars (wrappers and actual box) that say "Made in Cuba" or "Hecho en Cuba" or "Product of Cuba".
There is no way to tell whether your cigars are made in Cuba, Dominican Republic or anywhere else unless they take the seeds out and send them to a lab for examination.
Only the cigars with Cuban seed are illegal, so if there is nothing that says they are Cuban (e.g. papers, wrappers, box), then they'll stay in your luggage unless someone pilfers your bags of course, but that's a separate issue.
Planenutz From United States of America, joined Dec 1999, 1267 posts, RR: 12 Reply 7, posted (7 years 10 months 2 weeks 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 9882 times:
I know many, many people who have brought Cuban cigars into the USA from Canada, Mexico, Bahamas, the UK, and Spain and they have experienced no problems whatsoever. A friend boutht a whole box from Spain into JFK in checked baggage with no probs.
B744F From Germany, joined Jan 2006, 0 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (7 years 10 months 2 weeks 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 9810 times:
Quoting EMBQA (Reply 4): Besides, it's only the stigma that goes along with them. The best cigars by far com out of the Dominican Republic, which is where most of the good manufactures went after the fall of Cuba and Castro.
Everyone has their own opinion of course... but this is plain ridiculous!
EMBQA From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 9286 posts, RR: 13 Reply 9, posted (7 years 10 months 2 weeks 1 day 3 hours ago) and read 9764 times:
Everyone has their own opinion of course... but this is plain ridiculous!
Please then tell me about your vast knowledge of Cuban cigars
"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog"
Grimey From Ireland, joined Jun 2005, 434 posts, RR: 5 Reply 10, posted (7 years 10 months 2 weeks 1 day 3 hours ago) and read 9729 times:
I was in Cuba two weeks ago and brought 2 boxes (50 cigars) out, ok I know I live in Ireland but it shows how easy it is to transport them, I put one in my hand luggage and another (wooden box) into my luggage case.
Quoting Expatmatt (Reply 6): Simple solution - take all labels and papers off the cigars (wrappers and actual box) that say "Made in Cuba" or "Hecho en Cuba" or "Product of Cuba".
My wooden box has it printed into it, but it makes it look cool.
By the way I have this theory that the cigars sold on the street in Havana are 100% real because no one here at home has complained to me about them. I also noticed that you have to have a receipt and show the hologram on the box if you take out more then 23, this made me believe that customs stop you, take the cigars that don't have a hologram, sell them back to the hustlers who then sell them to tourists who get caught at customs. Ok I know that is a tiny bit confusing but my advice is that if you are buying cigars for other people in Cuba for friends back home and not for yourself then buy them off the street and save yourself some money because Cuba is very expensive for tourists. As for transporting cigars in th US it should be easy enough, as mentioned don't carry a lighter or a clippers.
Chugach From United States of America, joined Dec 2004, 1041 posts, RR: 3 Reply 11, posted (7 years 10 months 2 weeks 1 day 3 hours ago) and read 9717 times:
I brought back a box of Cubans from Costa Rica with no problem at all. I may be way off base here, but I had heard that you can bring back cigars so long as you didn't actually buy them in Cuba. Whatever it is, I had no problem with customs or TSA. If memory serves they were in my checked luggage (flight was routed SJO-IAH-PDX), but not wrapped up in clothing or anything.
AAgent From United States of America, joined Mar 2001, 560 posts, RR: 15 Reply 12, posted (7 years 10 months 2 weeks 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 9700 times:
It would appear that TSA applies different levels of scrutiny under various conditions. I, for one, have personally witnessed TSA stop a passenger for having what appeared to be a Cuban cigar. Though the cigar was eventually proven to be of other origin, the police had already been called in and the passenger ultimately missed their flight and had to travel the following day. I think many would agree that no cigar is worth that kind of hassle. May I respectfully suggest that you do NOT take any illegal contraband with you during your travels.
ExFATboy From United States of America, joined Jul 2003, 2974 posts, RR: 9 Reply 13, posted (7 years 10 months 2 weeks 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 9678 times:
Put them in your carry-on, make sure you don't have anything else that's likely to get you popped for a hand inspection, and your chances of getting caught are right around zero. Remove the bands if you think you have a strong chance of pulling the dreaded "SSSS" or some other reason you're more likely to get inspected.
You can put them in your checked bag, which if you don't have something else in there that could trigger an inspection might be even safer, but I've had cigars (non-Cuban) stolen from checked bags before, so I don't recommend it.
Even if you get caught, as long as you're a US citizen over the smoking age and don't have so many that you're obviously intending to resell, worst that's likely to happen is they'll be confiscated and you can look forward to getting the full attention of Customs every time you come back into the US for as far as the eye can see. I've never heard of anyone getting prosecuted for Cuban cigars as long as they're just for personal use. (For resale, yes, that'll earn you a prosecution.)
But Cubans really are overrated, IMO - you can get very good Dominicans for less. Try the Carlos Torano "blue label".
PanHAM From Germany, joined May 2005, 7771 posts, RR: 26 Reply 14, posted (7 years 10 months 2 weeks 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 9656 times:
Just relax, even one of your former Presidents admits that he smoked Cuban Cigars, and whatever else he did with the things.....
Couple of years ago on a BA flight to ATL, I was randomly picked for a customs check. Only time that happened on about 100 entries to the US. But exactly the only time as well when I had a box of Cuban Cigars in my suitcase.
And it was the only time as well I praised BA for the fact that they left my suitcase in LHR. It arrived on the next flight and was delivered without further checks to my Hotel.
Superfly From Thailand, joined May 2000, 38502 posts, RR: 80 Reply 15, posted (7 years 10 months 2 weeks 1 day 1 hour ago) and read 9598 times:
Quoting Expatmatt (Reply 6): Simple solution - take all labels and papers off the cigars (wrappers and actual box) that say "Made in Cuba" or "Hecho en Cuba" or "Product of Cuba".
But that's no fun.
Grimey:
I got drunk with a few guys from Ireland when I was in Cuba. It seems to be a popular place to visit for Irish. The Caucasian English speakers I ran in to in Cuba were usually Irish, German, Canadian or fmr. U.S. Citizens that chose to live in Cuba.
These guys I met flew in on Aeroflot but they didn't know what kind of aircraft they flew on. I wondered if it was a IL-96 or 62.
Espion007 From Denmark, joined Dec 2003, 1691 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (7 years 10 months 2 weeks 1 day ago) and read 9592 times:
Quoting Planenutz (Reply 7): Cuban cigars into the USA from Canada
Go up to the American side of Niagara falls. Drive accross the rainbow bridge to the canadian side. You can park somewhere. On the street adjacent to the river, there are tons of small shops selling cuban cigars,among other things. Just buy a few,put them in your car and drive back. Really simple
FlyingTexan From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 17, posted (7 years 10 months 2 weeks 23 hours ago) and read 9580 times:
Quoting EMBQA (Reply 4): Besides, it's only the stigma that goes along with them. The best cigars by far com out of the Dominican Republic, which is where most of the good manufactures went after the fall of Cuba and Castro.
I’m with you. This phenomenon surrounding Cuban cigars is just ridiculous.
Quoting AAgent (Reply 12): It would appear that TSA applies different levels of scrutiny under various conditions
TSA policy varies from screener to screener, airport to airport, day to day ~ even though its not supposed to.
Luv2fly From United States of America, joined May 2003, 11957 posts, RR: 51 Reply 18, posted (7 years 10 months 2 weeks 23 hours ago) and read 9572 times:
Quoting FlyingTexan (Reply 17): TSA policy varies from screener to screener, airport to airport, day to day ~ even though its not supposed to.
Well said, even from line to line as I have seen in CLE airport first hand.
EMBQA From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 9286 posts, RR: 13 Reply 21, posted (7 years 10 months 2 weeks 18 hours ago) and read 9535 times:
I've never had a problem smoking a nice Cuban Cohiba...... anywhere
A Cohiba is a nice smoke no matter where it comes from.....A Red Dot Churchill goes pretty good with my 21 year old Scotch...!!
"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog"
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