Are Ropes About To Disappear?

[cossackjack]

Bringing Brazilian ropes back to the US could be difficult as they are considered by US Customs as loose tobacco & an agricultural product, subject to duty at the least, or confiscation.

I returned from BZ through US Customs with 4 ropes wrapped by the vendor in newspaper in my checked luggage, with a hand written receipt from the vendor. The tobacco had been "inspected" by TSA somewhere enroute (at Panama City, I suspect) - unwrapped & re-wrapped.

At US Customs I lawfully declared the tobacco, amount, & value ($US equivalence of BZ Reals). The Custom agents scowled at my declaration, wrote & circled "TOBACCO" in red on my declaration paper, & were about to inspect the ropes. For some reason, perhaps fatigue after midnight, or their unfamiliarity with this type of tobacco, my bags were not inspected & allowed to enter unmolested. I was prepared to pay duty, which should have been trivial, or have the tobaccco confiscated (at a loss of only $35).
Last year I asked a friend to send 4 ropes in 4 separate packages, preferably vacuum sealed, to determine if mailing would be viable; he was too busy.

The non-commercially packaged, "loose tobacco" format is problematic in getting these ropes in the US. Importers/Distributors might be able to import & resell ropes, if so inclined or interested.
Any suggestions from our international traveling members?

 

[unadoptedlamp]

Cossack- I frequently travel with more tobacco than I think I am allowed (EU and South American countries), because it's usually a trip of 4-5 months per region. I normally have to make an international order to supplement what I carry, but at least I'm started for a couple of months, which can sometimes help with crazy shipping times or border trouble.
I've never declared, and it doesn't seem to be such a big issue. Dogs aren't sniffing for tobacco (yet), so I think you need to get caught up in a random search. I think the odds are in your favour. I've had my bags searched, but they have never flagged me for it. I don't know why. I do, however, usually compress much more than 8oz into an 8 oz tin. Flakes are a good option for reducing bulk and maximizing content. Few customs agents know that a tin of Haddo's isn't flake... And I guess I just like to believe that the one who might find it has some sympathy. I guess customs officials could jam a big stick up your ass, but they usually have bigger fish to fry and I doubt you would get a fine unless your bag is nothing but pounds and pounds of tobacco.
Maybe they just look at the label and don't weigh them? No idea. But I think it could be a handy way to get more in if you need to. If you don't go insane, I think that if you cram a bunch of tobacco into a stamped tin, they're not going to put it on a scale to see if it is 8 oz or not. That's what I would do if you need more for your travels.
A friend of mine has an export business in Brazil. I am also a permanent resident there, so can start my own business to export to myself, but I didn't try any tobacco there that I liked enough to do it. However, I only did try one rope (which completely disagreed with my tastes) and now I'm going to seek out more when I'm back. The domestic "pouch" tobacco that I've seen in Sao Paulo is horrid to me. It's just a bunch of burley aromatics that I can't stand.
Exporting agricultural products (according to my friend) is fine, but it just takes a little longer to get the right permit. If I do find a rope that I fall in love with, I'm setting up a company to fill my cellar in Canada. I'm doubtful it will happen though, judging from my first rope experience there. An incredibly potent rope and 30+ degrees didn't do me any favours.
One time, when I had trouble getting tobacco in, I bought boxes of Dona Flor Seleção. They were made by a guy who started out in Cuba and created Montecristo and H. Upmann before he fled Cuba when Castro arrived. So... you get some amazing quality for a good price. They're not cheap, but for the quality, I think it is fair by Brazilian cigar standards... which tend to be expensive if you're looking for good imports. The dirt cheap Brazilian cigars, so far to me, have not been worth it.

That being said, Bahia tobacco, in a cigar at least, is very, very good. I like full flavoured cigars like Bolivar, and to my tastes, Dona Flor Seleção is probably the best Brazilian cigar in that range. But, it doesn't reach the flavour/intensity of a full bodied Cuban.
I'd give them a try the next time you're there. I think you can buy them in the U.S., but I don't know the price there.
Anyway, for pipe tobacco, all you have to do, basically, is find an old package that is stamped as something commercial and has a weight displayed. Then cram it as full as you can with whatever is good to you. I think it is very unlikely that anyone will know what they're looking at, and also unlikely that they drop it on a scale.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

In generalxi think the primary issues with customs is the product legal and is the quantity for personal consumption. If it fits those parameters, it is likely the worst thing that could happen is have it seized or have to pay duty. The customs guys are a lot more worried about preventing terrorists, bombs, drugs and biological weapons from entering the country. As someone said, they have much bigger fish to fry. I've never had any problems bringing reasonable amounts of tobacco or alcohol back into the country. If I wanted to bring those Brazilian types back in the country that bad, I'd buy a few pounds worth of some kind of rope from one of the online retailers, empty out the zip locks, take them with me and fill them up in Brazil.

 

[melvinsunsmokedcastello]

Has anyone come up with a way to get these ropes into the US? Perhaps one of our licensed sponsors could arrange to import?
Do we have any forum members in Brazil willing to attempt to ship?

 

[balkisobrains]

Wow, those rope pics are pretty crazy.
::

 

[mso489]

Yup, the rope photos are amazing, hypnotic. I get a nicotine buzz just looking at them. Whew, yes, time for a Group 1. I suspect rope will always be around, but whether it will make it to the U.S. market is the question. Dry air-cured burley is available in "knots" in Haiti and other islands, though that's not the same as rope, but potent too.

 

[artificialme]

Is wrapper grade burley that used in pipe tobacco was the same as the one that used in cigar? Looks like it's nothing to be afraid of. at least in the cigarette industry that I worked at