Customs - Ouch!

[olkofri]

My reply above does not convey how much I sympathize with your situation. That total cost would be extremely hard to take. Is it based on the total value of the contents? the weight? the category it falls into? Because I’m wondering if there are ways of ordering in the future that could help to mitigate the costs.

There's really no rhyme or reason.

YES, there are schedules or what have you detailing how much the duty is per gram, et cetera, only... these are HARDLY EVER followed. In the praxis, it seems to depend on the mood or idiosincrasy of the agent doing the processing and/or the instructions from supervisors at that facility at that particular time.

A lot of Canadian law is inherently ambiguous. Some say such laws musta been written by idiots, seeing how ambiguous, and even contradictory, they are at times. Baloney: it's not idiocy, but malice. The laws are DELIBERATELY ambiguous so that law enforcement can exploit situations and technicalities in each particular case if they so desire.

Thus, the tables and schedules are meaningless for the smoker trying to decide on how many tins to buy from Laudisi and friends. The fees are all across the gamut.

 

[olkofri]

Here, let me WHINE some more.

I was only saying that I was unlucky this time. Over the years, I've ordered all kinds of stuff (tobacco included) from the States and have always squeaked by Customs. This $210 makes up for a few of those squeaks! And, I have two more packages of tobacco coming up from the States - one of them is quite large. Maybe I can pay $1,000 in customs, taxes and fees before all is done.

Let me think about this a little more and maybe I can find more things to WHINE about.

HEY! **I** didn't say that!! That was the post below mine!

 

[warren]

Thus, the tables and schedules are meaningless for the smoker trying to decide on how many tins to buy from Laudisi and friends. The fees are all across the gamut.

Just figure worst case scenario. That should cover it. I mean it isn't rocket science. Just figure what a product could cost you out of pocket and plan for it. Anything less is a good thing. And, no surprises.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

The first thing this administration did when coming into power was to hire AN ARMY of tax collectors/auditors/enforcers at the same time they started taxing like hell left and right. It was the year this same admin was reelected that a couple of tobacco suppliers got those cease-and-desist/start-declaring-everything—I know this for a fact, having Emailed one of those suppliers.

So yes, the budget for taxation officers is just part of their overhead. It's easily offset by all the money they collect rob from the rank-and-file Canadians through duties and fines.

You should keep believing that conspiracy theory BS despite the fact you have zero evidence to support it and it defies common sense. In case you weren't aware, the IRS and US Customs are 2 different entities.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

It's much, much more than the item in the transaction. When a country's currency is leaving, there is a legitimate government concern. Sure those moneys will, most likely, return, in time. This discussion started over customs, tobacco products and a member outraged at being charged a legitimate government fee which should have been budgeted for at the start of the transactions. A minor irritant to most but, apparently a major pain for some.

If you import tobacco products be sure to include "customs" and applicable taxes, at least in your mind, when making a purchase. It'll save a lot of angst and anger. If one can't afford the additional fees/taxes" ... cross border transactions should be avoided.


Good to read that it makes sense. Why wouldn't they monitor such companies? Quite possibly they do. I suspect they monitor customers more as that is where the moneys are taken. But, there is no reason an e-receipt to you from Laudisi wouldn't trigger a computer program. Simple enough. The question/threshhold would likely be, is such a transaction reoccurring and/or, is the amount to be accessed enough to generate action on the part of the government?

You apparently missed the sarcasm the same way you missed the point. Entirely. Good news though, I'm done arguing with you.

 

[warren]

I wasn't even aware there was an argument going on. That's how dense I am. I thought the whole point was, you didn't think your government was playing fair, letting some of your orders slip in and accessing another. You purchased the wares and simply hoped for the best. And, now you're mad because you were caught and accessed duties. What have I missed? I parsed your posts fairly well but, I might have missed something. I'm not infallible. I seriously would be interested to learn your point which, I apparently missed.

 

[olkofri]

You should keep believing that conspiracy theory BS despite the fact you have zero evidence to support it and it defies common sense. In case you weren't aware, the IRS and US Customs are 2 different entities.

Common sense is gone from the gov't.

And in case you weren't aware, I'm talking about CANADIAN gov't entities. Things work here very differently than they do south of the 49th parallel. You worry (or not) about socialism coming to the US. Here, we're already there.

BTW, the cases of ambiguous laws being exploited are not limited to tobacco. Have you seen the circus about gun control in Canada? I think I'm gonna stop there, or I'll look anon like that cat in the meme above.

 

[AJL67]

Watch City Cigar will no longer ship UPS to canada, first it was a couple shipments stopped here and there then it was more then more then it was nasty phone calls, so no more shipping UPS to canada. Eventually someone sees the pattern and it get's put in the magic electronic box and things get flagged right away. UPS obviously was faster about this than say the USPS but it happens.

Every one knows the risk, I hate doing trades with people in Canada, i know what they send me will get here but i get nervous sending tobacco to them, I just don't want to see them get screwed, because I will feel bad about it even though it's not my fault and they are the ones taking the risk.

 

[AJL67]

I traded 2 pounds of bulk tobacco for a Peterson Meer on another board, i put just what he told me on the customs label "Gift" and value of $25. If it get's stopped clearly it's his own fault i wanted to at least put a higher value and he said no if it's higher they will check it for sure. Even with putting exactly what he told me i would still feel bad / responsible if it got bagged. Just how i am.

 

[kcghost]

It is tough dealing with this when it is your country assessing the product. About all you can do now is bitch at the moon.

 

[AJL67]

It is tough dealing with this when it is your country assessing the product. About all you can do now is bitch at the moon.

They can be glad they aren't in Australia! See always a bright side!

 

[Swiss Army Knife]

This thread made me laugh at the thought of Canadian border patrol lackeys combing our humble forum for pipe tobacco smugglers. They probably don't get paid nearly enough to put up with us.

Unless their name starts with 4 and ends with oggins no online storefront is in the business of international tobacco smuggling. They are required to declare whatever goods they're sending you and all it takes is a custom agent being awake enough to notice. Sometimes it will get through, but you'll get dinged eventually and once you are don't expect any more freebies.

If at all possible plan a trip down south of the border and just bring it back up with you. You're less likely to get nailed that way, and you've got an automatic 200g exemption if you do.

These days I spend a lot of time in Central America, I usually end up having to lug a lot of tobacco back down here with me if I want to stock it up because if it does make it through the mail it'll take months and cost me an arm and a leg.

 

[Ahi Ka]

 

[Brendan]

They can be glad they aren't in Australia! See always a bright side!

The silly bastards down here have stopped taxing loose leaf tobacco and instead will confiscate/destroy if found.
(Or more likely take it home).

So the incentive to order from overseas is far greater now, knowing there is no duty to pay and a very good chance of orders getting through

 

[seanv]

Don't order a pound of tobacco and expect to not pay duty. In fact, plan to pay duty on every order placed. That's the reality.

 

[ADKPiper]

Have someone repackage it in the states.
I'm sure they know the sender's address.

 

[OzPiper]

You could do worse and migrate to the land of Oz.
Where you will really get royally f....ked by the Dept of Customs and Excise.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

You honestly think customs is monitoring pipe and cigar forums looking for people? Please. And what would they do with the name Beowolf? Customs has much bigger fish to fry than catching some people buying Cuban cigars or pipe tobacco. They missed several packages that had the retailers name on it and the product listed. They hit tobacco products randomly because they don't really care that much.

This is my understanding too,they'd hit parcels with additional customs taxes as they please, not on a regular basis , they do have other, more important things to do+ they are short in manpower,at least here in the EU