Hi All

I am going home for a couple of months and wanted to take several DVD's and CD's back with me to the U.K. The discs will be in wallet type carry cases. I have built up a small collection that were purchased from various markets on my travels here in Thailand and I have about 200 that I want to take home with me. First let me say that it is my own private collection and are for private viewing only and will not be sold. The advice I want is Will I be allowed to take them through British customs or will theybe confiscated? Any advice is greatly appreciated

Thank you

If you get searched there is a good chance they will be confiscated if they are copies.

However, very unlikely that you will get searched isn't it.

If customs stop you and determine they are fake they will be confiscated. You may or may not be fined.

Why not rip the lot to DivX or XVid format and put them on a hard drive, customs rarely examine the drive contents in detail if at all.

I have brought copy DVD!s into the UK on every trip back from Thailand .Maximum about 36. Always in a folder not loose.On the times I was searched.They allowed me to keep them.Including naughty ones. Personnel use.What they are concerned about is anyone copying them.200 a lot though !! Good Luck.

I've never had them confiscated, but I've never had 200. If you've multiple copies of the same title they'll be confiscated for sure.

If you get searched there is a good chance they will be confiscated if they are copies.

However, very unlikely that you will get searched isn't it.

I've never been searched entering the uk, having entered dozens of times. Once they didn't even look inside my (non-EU) passport, though I expect that's tightened up.

Ditto. The nearest I got, was my flight had landed at Delhi. Going through customs, I felt like Custer, I was surrounded by Indians, all these customs officers were approching and took the Indians. I stopped as one approached me, but he walked past and picked out another Indian. There was about 10 of them in all. I think the trick is not to look guilty, but not to appear too innocent. After all everyone has a ;ittle of something they shouldn't have. Too many gifts etc..

If customs stop you and determine they are fake they will be confiscated. You may or may not be fined.

Why not rip the lot to DivX or XVid format and put them on a hard drive, customs rarely examine the drive contents in detail if at all.

Thanks for the replies, I went back a couple of years ago and got searched but all I had were 2 cartons ( 400 ) of cigarettes and was allowed to keep them. However, in hind sight the majority of DVD's/CD's were bought from markets so are probably copies even though they are printed with the same picture as the label or cover. I got searched in America 10 years ago so knowing my luck maybe 200 is a bit much and getting a fine ontop of that just isn't worth it, maybe just test the water and take 20 or so that I know I can replace easily.

The hard drive sounds like a good option and will give it a try Cheers

Not worth the hassle with Customs !

Wiley Coyote

Hi All

wanted to take several DVD's and CD's . . . . . . I have about 200

Thank you

Doesn't sound like serveral. I would not press my luck with that many but if you try, look casual and not guilty, and that means from the time you exit the plane.

Australia is clamping down on pirate DVDs. The current penalty is $AUD10,000 per DVD- if Customs decides to prosecute - which (touch wood) I haven't found any instance, to date. I regularly take up to 30 back with me. More than that, I post EMS from Bangkok back to Australia.

Peter

Hi All

I am going home for a couple of months and wanted to take several DVD's and CD's back with me to the U.K. The discs will be in wallet type carry cases. I have built up a small collection that were purchased from various markets on my travels here in Thailand and I have about 200 that I want to take home with me. First let me say that it is my own private collection and are for private viewing only and will not be sold. The advice I want is Will I be allowed to take them through British customs or will theybe confiscated? Any advice is greatly appreciated

Thank you

Dont do it!

my friend just returned with 22dvds and was thrown in a cell for 2 days and must appear in court soon.

my suggestion would be to divx them to your laptop / a hard drive then u will be fine

I bring a dozen movies back for my help at the office almost every trip.

I list them at $5-6 each on the immigration declaration card when I'm entering the US, even though I paid 1,000 baht for the dozen from a street merchant. They have never asked about them or wanted to look at them in over 20 trips. They are usually in the clear cello wrappers so obvious knock offs. I always list them along with the odd shirt and pair of pants so I'm just a tourist like so many others.

I would be cautious of bringing back 200 of them. Bound to raise curiosity I think.

~WISteve

I have brought copy DVD!s into the UK on every trip back from Thailand .Maximum about 36. Always in a folder not loose.On the times I was searched.They allowed me to keep them.Including naughty ones. Personnel use.What they are concerned about is anyone copying them.200 a lot though !! Good Luck.

Since I posted the above.I have today Saturday,received by post in the UK. A number DVD`s sent to me by a friend in Bangkok.All arrived OK!,

Edited December 15, 200718 yr by niagarekoja