Bringing Cigarettes Into the US

[RT Gooch]

RT here.

If you're a smoker, you know how expensive cigarettes are here in the USA. They are much less expensive in Lima. I don't smoke, but I have a friend who does, and he asked me to bring some back with me.

A carton of Marlboro lights cost me 65 sols in Vivanda last week. That calculates down to just under $23. I purchased one carton.

I got secondaried at customs when I got home, and the woman running the x-ray machine asked me how many cigarettes I had in my suitcase. I told her one carton, and she told me to have a nice day.

I asked her what the rule was, telling her I didn't know and 0nly bought one to play it safe. She told me that it recently changed from two cartons down to one (200 cigarettes). I asked what would happen if I had more than one with me.

She said that if I got caught, the customs inspector could send me to pay the duty on any cartons over the first one. The duty, she said, was around $10.25 per carton.

With cigarettes running at least $5 a pack here (more in many states), even with the duty, it could help both support your smoking habit and offset some of the costs of your trip.

 

[Benga6000]

RT here.

If you're a smoker, you know how expensive cigarettes are here in the USA. They are much less expensive in Lima. I don't smoke, but I have a friend who does, and he asked me to bring some back with me.

A carton of Marlboro lights cost me 65 sols in Vivanda last week. That calculates down to just under $23. I purchased one carton.

The smokes are not the same though. They are made in Argentina or Switzerland and are not as good as U.S. smokes. I smoke Marlboros in the U.S. but when in Peru I smoke Lucky Rojos.

 

[Sly One]

You think the US smoke prices are expensive...try Australia
$USD 12 per pack of 20 .or $USD 100 per carton of 200...
Fuck I'm glad I gave it away...15 yrs ago......
I was a 50/day smoker.
Sly

 

[dtaylor1972]

RT here.

If you're a smoker, you know how expensive cigarettes are here in the USA. They are much less expensive in Lima. I don't smoke, but I have a friend who does, and he asked me to bring some back with me.

A carton of Marlboro lights cost me 65 sols in Vivanda last week. That calculates down to just under $23. I purchased one carton.

I got secondaried at customs when I got home, and the woman running the x-ray machine asked me how many cigarettes I had in my suitcase. I told her one carton, and she told me to have a nice day.

I asked her what the rule was, telling her I didn't know and 0nly bought one to play it safe. She told me that it recently changed from two cartons down to one (200 cigarettes). I asked what would happen if I had more than one with me.

She said that if I got caught, the customs inspector could send me to pay the duty on any cartons over the first one. The duty, she said, was around $10.25 per carton.

With cigarettes running at least $5 a pack here (more in many states), even with the duty, it could help both support your smoking habit and offset some of the costs of your trip.

Still some good info to know ... Never asked what the duty would be....

The trick I usually pull - is bring one from there packed in the suitcase ...

Then pick one up from the duty free in BOG or SAL between connections .. which is usually about US $15 for a carton

(Another of the reasons that I usually fly on Taca / Avianca !)