Uk Customs

[missy]

Last year customs and excise at Manchester airport confiscated 10 cartons of cigarttes from me I bought from Abu Dhabi airport. They told me that if I bring in more than 200 cigarettes from outside the EU again they might prosecute me. Well, i'm flying to the UK again soon and would like to take a few cartons of cigarttes with me, but am worried if they check me again they will make me stay in the UK until they prosecute me.

Does anyone know what the coarse of action is for second offenders?

[RakJungTorlae]

Last year customs and excise at Manchester airport confiscated 10 cartons of cigarttes from me I bought from Abu Dhabi airport. They told me that if I bring in more than 200 cigarettes from outside the EU again they might prosecute me. Well, i'm flying to the UK again soon and would like to take a few cartons of cigarttes with me, but am worried if they check me again they will make me stay in the UK until they prosecute me.

Does anyone know what the coarse of action is for second offenders?

Death

[Chaimai]

Last year customs and excise at Manchester airport confiscated 10 cartons of cigarttes from me I bought from Abu Dhabi airport. They told me that if I bring in more than 200 cigarettes from outside the EU again they might prosecute me. Well, i'm flying to the UK again soon and would like to take a few cartons of cigarttes with me, but am worried if they check me again they will make me stay in the UK until they prosecute me.

Does anyone know what the coarse of action is for second offenders?

Death

Eventually, for sure (but unlikely at the point of entry into the UK)

[britmaveric]

Declare anything over the 2cartons and pay the duty for them. (problem solved) You certainly will be on their watch list and I'd be surprised if you weren't stopped and searched everytime now.

Edited July 23, 2008 by britmaveric

[marshbags]

Last year customs and excise at Manchester airport confiscated 10 cartons of cigarttes from me I bought from Abu Dhabi airport. They told me that if I bring in more than 200 cigarettes from outside the EU again they might prosecute me. Well, i'm flying to the UK again soon and would like to take a few cartons of cigarttes with me, but am worried if they check me again they will make me stay in the UK until they prosecute me.

Does anyone know what the coarse of action is for second offenders?

If the following is anything to go by, you would at most, have to pay any unpaid duties, and this seemingly is what you could be prosecuted for :-

Travelling to the UK from outside the European Union (EU)

Quoted from the ref url :-

http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalW...tyType=document

When travelling from a non-EU country (including the Canary Islands, the Channel islands and Gibraltar) you can bring the following into the UK for your own use without paying UK tax or duty:

200 cigarettes; or 100 cigarillos; or 50 cigars; or 250g of tobacco

60cc of perfume

2 litres of still table wine

250cc of eau de toilette

1 litre of spirits or strong liqueurs over 22 per cent volume; or 2 litres of fortified wine*, sparkling wine or other liqueurs *such as port or sherry and

£145 worth of all other goods including gifts and souvenirs.

If you have any more than these allowances you must declare the goods in the red channel or use the red point phone. If you do not, you are breaking the law and we may prosecute you.

If you are under 17 you cannot have the tobacco and alcohol allowances.

You are entitled to these allowances only if you travel with the goods and do not sell them.

If you bring in something worth more than the limit of £145, you must pay charges on the full value, not just the value above £145.

You and anyone you are travelling with cannot pool your individual allowances to bring in an item worth more than the limit. You will have to pay charges on the full value of the item.

If you are bringing back any duty-free or tax-free goods you bought when you left the UK, these count as part of your allowance.

If you also have tobacco or alcohol goods that you bought in an EU country (other than tobacco products over the limit for imports from that country) you will not have to pay any more duty or tax on these so long as:

they are for your own use and you can show, if we ask you to, that you have paid duty and tax in an EU country, for example by producing the receipt.

Unquote

I was once told you if you were going out of the country again you could choose to pick them up on your exit ????

Not sure if there is any truth in this, but maybe someone else has had a related experience on this one.

marshbags

Edited July 23, 2008 by marshbags

[Jeddah Jo]

My guess is you might be screwed from now on. I hate to think how much information they store about passengers who use commercial aviation these days

[eefoo]

Last year customs and excise at Manchester airport confiscated 10 cartons of cigarttes from me I bought from Abu Dhabi airport. They told me that if I bring in more than 200 cigarettes from outside the EU again they might prosecute me. Well, i'm flying to the UK again soon and would like to take a few cartons of cigarttes with me, but am worried if they check me again they will make me stay in the UK until they prosecute me.

Does anyone know what the coarse of action is for second offenders?

So you are planning on deliberately breaking the law a second time? Is it just the smuggling laws which you feel don't apply to you, or are there some others on your 'ignore them' list?

[ukrules]

Last year customs and excise at Manchester airport confiscated 10 cartons of cigarttes from me I bought from Abu Dhabi airport. They told me that if I bring in more than 200 cigarettes from outside the EU again they might prosecute me. Well, i'm flying to the UK again soon and would like to take a few cartons of cigarttes with me, but am worried if they check me again they will make me stay in the UK until they prosecute me.

Does anyone know what the coarse of action is for second offenders?

They will normally just take them off you again if you are stopped. for cigarettes they dont normally allow you to pay the excess duty from what I read. I know people who have been caught with 50 cartons of cigarettes (10,000 individual cigarettes) and they gave them the same warning and it wasnt the first time they were caught. This was a couple of years ago though. However it is possible you will be stopped again - not because they are watching you but because you have some kind of 'tell' - they stopped you last time right ? I bet you don't normally get stopped when you're not doing anything wrong or have excess items on you ?

[libya 115]

Last year customs and excise at Manchester airport confiscated 10 cartons of cigarttes from me I bought from Abu Dhabi airport. They told me that if I bring in more than 200 cigarettes from outside the EU again they might prosecute me. Well, i'm flying to the UK again soon and would like to take a few cartons of cigarttes with me, but am worried if they check me again they will make me stay in the UK until they prosecute me.

Does anyone know what the coarse of action is for second offenders?

Cigarette smugglers are specifically targeted at UK airports. Since you have 'form' you might expect to be stopped by HM Customs.

I don't think that you would be prosecuted for 10 cartons but I would enter the frame of mind that you 'expect' to have them confiscated; so if you do make it through it's a bonus. However this is an act of dishonesty; and they might call Old Bill and you might be forced to accept a 'Caution'; then you really will have to quit smuggling.

[Marvo]

Does anyone know what the penalty is for taking cigarttes into the uk

If you then go on to smoke them, cancer ususally...

[samuiseagull]

Taking a few hundred extra cigg's into the UK is looked at as one of the most important crime's needed to be cracked down on in the UK. It is ranked just below driving at 31 mph on a 30 mph Zone and just around the same level as parking on a double yellow line.

Meanwhile, if you act like Scum of the earth and do a bit of Murder...you'll get holiday vouchers to Butlins, formerly known as HM Prisons!!

Good luck!!!!!

[tmwke]

Last year customs and excise at Manchester airport confiscated 10 cartons of cigarttes from me I bought from Abu Dhabi airport. They told me that if I bring in more than 200 cigarettes from outside the EU again they might prosecute me. Well, i'm flying to the UK again soon and would like to take a few cartons of cigarttes with me, but am worried if they check me again they will make me stay in the UK until they prosecute me.

Does anyone know what the coarse of action is for second offenders?

[tmwke]

Last year customs and excise at Manchester airport confiscated 10 cartons of cigarttes from me I bought from Abu Dhabi airport. They told me that if I bring in more than 200 cigarettes from outside the EU again they might prosecute me. Well, i'm flying to the UK again soon and would like to take a few cartons of cigarttes with me, but am worried if they check me again they will make me stay in the UK until they prosecute me.

Does anyone know what the coarse of action is for second offenders?

I was stopped 2 years ago with 60 cartons of embassy regal They took my details threatend me (same as you) but nothing happened. PS they x ray every piece of luggage on the baggage carousel. I have never been stopped since, same airport Hope this helps !

[sassienie]

Does anyone know what the penalty is for taking cigarttes into the uk?

Answer: Lung Cancer

[solent01]

I think you will have to spend the rest of your life in Pattaya, living on only 2,000 baht a month.

Stupid bloody question, just do and find out.....

[surface]

A guy from the UK told me he pays for his trips here (or maybe just the airfare) by mailing loose packs of cigarettes back to his friends in the UK. I'm not recommending you or anyone else break the law, just sharing what I was told.

[sweetchariot]

When I was holidaying here (4-5 times a year), I used to 'fund' my airfares with the money I saved on not having to buy cigs in the UK.

I tried mailing some cigarettes to my brother, and he received an empty box with a leter from HMRC threatening to prosecute him next time.

I think UK customs give it the big one - we are watching you - kind of thing to discourage you. In reality they are inept police wannabees, who have difficulty in catching colds.

I must of been through UK customs around 50 times, always over limit, and always looking guilty as hel_l. Never been stopped yet - apart from the time we had a private bus back from Amsterdam. We made sure we were all legal, although the 2 sniffer dogs they brought on board were doing a mental due to some 'residue' in the carpets.

[mistresserika]

Last year customs and excise at Manchester airport confiscated 10 cartons of cigarttes from me I bought from Abu Dhabi airport. They told me that if I bring in more than 200 cigarettes from outside the EU again they might prosecute me. Well, i'm flying to the UK again soon and would like to take a few cartons of cigarttes with me, but am worried if they check me again they will make me stay in the UK until they prosecute me.

Does anyone know what the coarse of action is for second offenders?

Now that your passport is 'swiped' on entry into the UK, HMC will know when you arrive, and will be waiting for you. After the last attempt at smuggling, a 'marker' will have been put against your passport number. When you arrive again, HMC will receive an alert on their computer, with your photo, which will have been taken on your last smuggling attempt. The potential penalties will depend on the number of ciggies you have, your attitude and what mood the customs officer is in. Don't try it again.

[missy]

Thanks for your responses

What I really need is a straight answer from someone for what the penalty is for a second offence? will it be an on the spot fine? another warning? have to go to court and be prosecuted?

I appreciate your advice

[thaiflyer1]

Thanks for your responses

What I really need is a straight answer from someone for what the penalty is for a second offence? will it be an on the spot fine? another warning? have to go to court and be prosecuted?

I appreciate your advice

Sorry cant help with the penalties but your flying into a bad airport.............customs can see the flight has just come from the middle east and target it , also as said already all checked in luggage is xrayed before going on the carousel at Manchester and if cigs are seen the bags are held back till the last so they can pick you up easier...........only way round it is (as you probably do) put the cigs in your personnal bag.

I fly into Teeside via Amsterdam so all customs see is a flight from within Europe and are a little more lax (not that i would ever dream of taking cigs back )............they wait for the Tenerife flights .

One more word of warning............if you do go via an EU country then be aware you are liable for tax at your first point of entry i.e Amsterdam in my case for your personnal bag and not your final destination.............obviously if the cigs are in your checked luggage then its the final destination that you get caught.

Now ive wrote all that.........should this topic be even allowed.

[PhilHarries]

Thanks for your responses

What I really need is a straight answer from someone for what the penalty is for a second offence? will it be an on the spot fine? another warning? have to go to court and be prosecuted?

I appreciate your advice

I think you've had the answer, any one of those three if you get caught. It all depends on the customs officer and whether he is in a good mood or not. As you have been nabbed before I'd be inclined to assume you will be picked again so it is up to you as we say.

[onzestan]

Three questions.

1) Is this topic Thai related?

2) Is this topic about breaking the law?

3) If this was about customs in France, Germany, The Netherlands or whatever other country, wouldn't it be closed already?

Cheers

onzestan

[bkkjames]

Three questions.

1) Is this topic Thai related?

2) Is this topic about breaking the law?

3) If this was about customs in France, Germany, The Netherlands or whatever other country, wouldn't it be closed already?

Cheers

onzestan

Where are the mods when you need them, this is not even close to being Thai related.

[onzestan]

Three questions.

1) Is this topic Thai related?

2) Is this topic about breaking the law?

3) If this was about customs in France, Germany, The Netherlands or whatever other country, wouldn't it be closed already?

Cheers

onzestan

[sweetchariot]

Three questions.

1) Is this topic Thai related?

2) Is this topic about breaking the law?

3) If this was about customs in France, Germany, The Netherlands or whatever other country, wouldn't it be closed already?

Cheers

onzestan

Where are the mods when you need them, this is not even close to being Thai related.

Yes it is, he's flying from Thailand. Regardless of how 'unThai' it may be, this is a topic of great interest to many tourists and expat's alike, if it bothers you that much then don't read it.

[bkkjames]

Three questions.

1) Is this topic Thai related?

2) Is this topic about breaking the law?

3) If this was about customs in France, Germany, The Netherlands or whatever other country, wouldn't it be closed already?

Cheers

onzestan

Where are the mods when you need them, this is not even close to being Thai related.

Yes it is, he's flying from Thailand. Regardless of how 'unThai' it may be, this is a topic of great interest to many tourists and expat's alike, if it bothers you that much then don't read it.

I dont think it matters where he is flying into the UK from, might be more relevant if the question related to flying into Thailand? But again, I guess this is what PB meant by more intelligent topics wanted.

[sweetchariot]

Three questions.

1) Is this topic Thai related?

2) Is this topic about breaking the law?

3) If this was about customs in France, Germany, The Netherlands or whatever other country, wouldn't it be closed already?

Cheers

onzestan

Where are the mods when you need them, this is not even close to being Thai related.

Yes it is, he's flying from Thailand. Regardless of how 'unThai' it may be, this is a topic of great interest to many tourists and expat's alike, if it bothers you that much then don't read it.

I dont think it matters where he is flying into the UK from, might be more relevant if the question related to flying into Thailand? But again, I guess this is what PB meant by more intelligent topics wanted.

That's you stuffed then

[bkkjames]

Three questions.

1) Is this topic Thai related?

2) Is this topic about breaking the law?

3) If this was about customs in France, Germany, The Netherlands or whatever other country, wouldn't it be closed already?

Cheers

onzestan

Where are the mods when you need them, this is not even close to being Thai related.

Yes it is, he's flying from Thailand. Regardless of how 'unThai' it may be, this is a topic of great interest to many tourists and expat's alike, if it bothers you that much then don't read it.

I dont think it matters where he is flying into the UK from, might be more relevant if the question related to flying into Thailand? But again, I guess this is what PB meant by more intelligent topics wanted.

That's you stuffed then

Great comeback, was hoping for something a bit more intelligent considering the source nevermind,, anyways I direct you to the THAILAND travel forum on here... http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Cigarettes-W...nd-t119829.html for something related to Thailand.

If I started a topic - does anyone know the penalty for bringing in illegal amounts of products into North America, I think it would be binned as 'unrelated to Thailand'.

[intumult]

Once caught you are more likely to be targetted.

As a rule :-

If they catch you a 2nd time the cigs will be confiscated, you will be asked to pay duty and there is the sdded risk of prosecution.

The main problem is - and one nobody can really answer - is, will they prosecute you. Each person is treated differently and there are no hard and fast rules on this.

In the same way some will let you through with extra cigs and others will not. I had my baggage searched and I declared that I had excess in my hand luggage. The customs officer was not bothered about the excess. Interested in drugs and weapons.

So no one can answer you for sure.

[missy]

Ok, thanks for that. I think that has answered my question that it's not worth the risk doing it a second time. I think this time i'll be on the safe side and just take the one carton.