Sending Ciggies Via Post To Oz

[SammieT]

They are so cheap here and so expensive there, has anyone done this before as my habit will cost me a fortune otherwise?

Im moving in Sept when the limit changes to a measly 50, so id rather send a box of em via ems to where ill be staying and meet it there?

Can I do this?

[sysardman]

The main problem would be getting hit for Tax and Duty by the customs people. Try sending some to a friend first and see what happens. If it goes well then you could send small lots to people you trust so you would build up a stash for when you return. I'd also try normal post as EMS is more costly and attracts customs attention.

[ripstanley]

All cigarettes sent by post are taxed. You can import goods up to $1000.00 without paying duty and GST. However Cigarettes and Alcohol are exempt from this By-Law

[FritsSikkink]

Officially you have to declare them and pay tax.

If you take a chance you could ending up with paying tax and a fine or be lucky

[gerrymac]

Interesting program running on UK tv at the moment called "NOTHING TO DECLARE"

About daily working of AUS customs & immigration and shows that ALL parcels are x=rayed by customs.

Post from Thailand is particularly of interest to them, so I doubt that regular parcels of cigarettes would get through !!!

[YipYipYa123]

theyle be confiscated at the least .........youl be charged with smuggling them if you persist

and keep trying to do it in quantity

can you imagine the tax theyre making in these countries or even the revenue they would lose

if everyone started ordering cigarettes from places where they cost a dollar a pack ?

[redroo]

stop smoking is cheaper

[PingManDan]

Simple solution, "Just Frigging Quit Mate!!!!! problem solved

[Daewoo]

I don't smoke - can't see why anyone does.

But in answer to the OPs original question. All the Chinese run little 7/11 type stores are selling Chinese cigarettes, so it must be cheap enough to buy them and bring them in after paying duty and GST to still make a profit.

The Duty on Cigarettes is 0.34475 per 'stick'.

Then you pay 10% GST on the duty and the purchase price converted from THB to AUD using the rate of the day.

If you send them by mail or other cargo, you also need to pay transport costs, and GST on the transport costs.

The killer here is if you get the transport company to fill in your customs declaration, as they charge heaps (maybe $80) and you then pay GST on that as well.

Knowing what a carton of cigs costs in Thailand, and what it costs in Aus, you can work out whether it is worthwhile...

Say you are paying $105 for a Carton of 6x30 in Australia, about the cheapest you will pay.

that is 180 sticks at 0.34475/stick = $62.055 Duty, + $6.06 GST = $68.026.

As long as the actual ciggs cost less than $33.40 ($33.40 + $3.34 GST = $Au36.74) you would come out in front.

$68.026+$36.74 = $105, what it would cost in Aust.

http://www.customs.gov.au/webdata/resources/files/AlcoholandTobaccoFactSheet.pdf

http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page5549.asp#Example4

Example 4: An importation of low value tobacco products (for example, 200 sticks = 8 packets x 25 sticks valued at A$60

Customs value (Cval)

60.00

Customs duty (Duty)@ $0.34889 per stick

69.78

(Payable)

International transport and insurance or postage (T&I)

30.00

Value of the Taxable Importation (VoTI)

(Cval+Duty+T&I)

159.78

Goods and Services Tax (GST) @ 10% of the VoTI

15.98

(Payable)

Total payable Duty + GST

85.76

[electau]

Your package will be opened and checked by customs in Australia, giving a false description for customs purposes is a serious offence.

[giddyup]

Australia Customs are absolute A-holes. I had the regulation 250 ciggies plus an opened pack in my pocket. I foolishly did the right thing and declared the extra opened pack. Some litte Hitler posing as a woman customs officer, wanted to charge me the full duty (about $80 from memory) on the lot, saying I'd exceeded my quota. Either pay or have them confiscated. I chose to have them confiscated. Of course while she was lording it over me three or four drug couriers slipped through.

[SeaVisionBurma]

theyle be confiscated at the least .........youl be charged with smuggling them if you persist

and keep trying to do it in quantity

Absolute rubbish. You have made this up.

I regularly have cigarettes posted to me in Australia. They are not confiscated, nor have I ever been 'charged with smuggling'.

As others have posted, you will receive a customs invoice. (The charge for a carton of 160 cigarettes is around $65.00)

Once this is paid they release your package again & it arrives by post a few days later.

For the particular brand I smoke on occasion, which is difficult to obtain in Oz - it still works out cheaper.... though this will change soon.

Sent from my ALCATEL_one_touch_918D using Thaivisa Connect App

[SeaVisionBurma]

Your package will be opened and checked by customs in Australia, giving a false description for customs purposes is a serious offence.

Oddly enough, customs always ignores the item description or contents on the label. I've seen the cigarettes declared as a variety of different things - 'gift', 'merchandise', 'sample', 'toy' etc etc - they just go ahead & issue an invoice for the duty payable.

Sent from my ALCATEL_one_touch_918D using Thaivisa Connect App

[ripstanley]

Australia Customs are absolute A-holes. I had the regulation 250 ciggies plus an opened pack in my pocket. I foolishly did the right thing and declared the extra opened pack. Some litte Hitler posing as a woman customs officer, wanted to charge me the full duty (about $80 from memory) on the lot, saying I'd exceeded my quota. Either pay or have them confiscated. I chose to have them confiscated. Of course while she was lording it over me three or four drug couriers slipped through.

The customs officer was wrong.

An open packet of cigarettes containing 25 or less cigarettes in the possession of an adult will also be able to be imported duty free

http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/F2005L00136/Explanatory%20Statement/Text

[Soutpeel]

theyle be confiscated at the least .........youl be charged with smuggling them if you persist

and keep trying to do it in quantity

Absolute rubbish. You have made this up.

I regularly have cigarettes posted to me in Australia. They are not confiscated, nor have I ever been 'charged with smuggling'.

As others have posted, you will receive a customs invoice. (The charge for a carton of 160 cigarettes is around $65.00)

Once this is paid they release your package again & it arrives by post a few days later.

For the particular brand I smoke on occasion, which is difficult to obtain in Oz - it still works out cheaper.... though this will change soon.

Sent from my ALCATEL_one_touch_918D using Thaivisa Connect App

Didnt realise cartons of smokes have 160 in them, you are being ripped off then...all the ones I buy have 200..

There in nothing wrong with sending cigarettes in the post, provided you pay the import tax, but if the OP is thinking of trying to start a "business" sending cheap cigarettes in without paying tax and re-selling for profit and is caught he would be charged with smuggling

[Soutpeel]

Australia Customs are absolute A-holes. I had the regulation 250 ciggies plus an opened pack in my pocket. I foolishly did the right thing and declared the extra opened pack. Some litte Hitler posing as a woman customs officer, wanted to charge me the full duty (about $80 from memory) on the lot, saying I'd exceeded my quota. Either pay or have them confiscated. I chose to have them confiscated. Of course while she was lording it over me three or four drug couriers slipped through.

The customs officer was wrong.

An open packet of cigarettes containing 25 or less cigarettes in the possession of an adult will also be able to be imported duty free

http://www.comlaw.go... Statement/Text

So all packs would be ok then....havent seen a box of cigarettes with more than 20 in years...you used to be able to get 30's....but long long time ago

[giddyup]

Australia Customs are absolute A-holes. I had the regulation 250 ciggies plus an opened pack in my pocket. I foolishly did the right thing and declared the extra opened pack. Some litte Hitler posing as a woman customs officer, wanted to charge me the full duty (about $80 from memory) on the lot, saying I'd exceeded my quota. Either pay or have them confiscated. I chose to have them confiscated. Of course while she was lording it over me three or four drug couriers slipped through.

The customs officer was wrong.

An open packet of cigarettes containing 25 or less cigarettes in the possession of an adult will also be able to be imported duty free

http://www.comlaw.go... Statement/Text

I even wrote to Customs when I was home and explained what had happened. The reply I got was that the customs officer acted appropriately. End of story.

[giddyup]

Australia Customs are absolute A-holes. I had the regulation 250 ciggies plus an opened pack in my pocket. I foolishly did the right thing and declared the extra opened pack. Some litte Hitler posing as a woman customs officer, wanted to charge me the full duty (about $80 from memory) on the lot, saying I'd exceeded my quota. Either pay or have them confiscated. I chose to have them confiscated. Of course while she was lording it over me three or four drug couriers slipped through.

The customs officer was wrong.

An open packet of cigarettes containing 25 or less cigarettes in the possession of an adult will also be able to be imported duty free

http://www.comlaw.go... Statement/Text

So all packs would be ok then....havent seen a box of cigarettes with more than 20 in years...you used to be able to get 30's....but long long time ago

You can still get 30's and 50's in Australia.

[SammieT]

Thanks guys

So if I buy 400 in two sticks and arrive via plane, can anyone help me work out how much duty I will have to pay for on them?

A stick in Thailand I would say would be around 500bt, after ozzie duty how much would that now become?

[Spoonman]

Thanks guys

So if I buy 400 in two sticks and arrive via plane, can anyone help me work out how much duty I will have to pay for on them?

A stick in Thailand I would say would be around 500bt, after ozzie duty how much would that now become?

Bout $150.00 AUD.

[SammieT]

thanks mate

thats not really much of a saving, not sure if its worth it

Edited August 7, 2012 by SammieT

[Daewoo]

A stick is a cigarette. I assume you aren't paying 500 baht per cigarette.

[giddyup]

A stick is a cigarette. I assume you aren't paying 500 baht per cigarette.

I think he's calling a "stick" a carton. Never heard them called sticks before.

[Ricardo]

A stick is a cigarette. I assume you aren't paying 500 baht per cigarette.

I think he's calling a "stick" a carton. Never heard them called sticks before.

It's common in Africa, where a lot of people make a living, walking round with a tray and opened-packs of several different brands, selling individual-cigarettes 'by-the-stick' to the poor, whose daily-luxury can be a few cigarettes or a Coke.

Much like field-hands here having a 10B slug of cheap-alcohol, at the village-shop, on their way home from work.

People there also often save an empty/discarded pack, to put their 2-3 sticks in, so that their friends think they buy them by-the-pack.

Sad world.

[giddyup]

A stick is a cigarette. I assume you aren't paying 500 baht per cigarette.

I think he's calling a "stick" a carton. Never heard them called sticks before.

It's common in Africa, where a lot of people make a living, walking round with a tray and opened-packs of several different brands, selling individual-cigarettes 'by-the-stick' to the poor, whose daily-luxury can be a few cigarettes or a Coke.

Much like field-hands here having a 10B slug of cheap-alcohol, at the village-shop, on their way home from work.

People there also often save an empty/discarded pack, to put their 2-3 sticks in, so that their friends think they buy them by-the-pack.

Sad world.

I don't think the OP is using "stick" with the meaning you suggested.

[SeaVisionBurma]

Didnt realise cartons of smokes have 160 in them, you are being ripped off then ...all the ones I buy have 200..

Brilliant. You've never seen a carton with only 160 cigarettes in it before. All the ones you buy have 200. Therefore by conclusion I must be getting ripped off. Not even a mention of price....

Gudang Garam 16's. 10 packets per carton x 16 cigarettes per packet = 160 cigarettes per carton....

Given that you have absolutely no clue what I am paying for them, would be interested to know how it is that I am being ripped off.

There in nothing wrong with sending cigarettes in the post, provided you pay the import tax, but if the OP is thinking of trying to start a "business" sending cheap cigarettes in without paying tax and re-selling for profit and is caught he would be charged with smuggling

Nowhere in the OP does it say anything remotely close to something about starting a business...honestly I wonder some times whether people are reading the same text on a page.....

Edited August 7, 2012 by SeaVisionBurma

[SammieT]

Thanks guys

in actuall working out that smokes in perth, e.g marlboro lights cost about 18$, it might be worth it.

Is there a limit to how many you can bring in or have sent over and pay the duty on? if not then ill stock as like i say it'll work out cheaper in the long run i think

[giddyup]

Thanks guys

in actuall working out that smokes in perth, e.g marlboro lights cost about 18$, it might be worth it.

Is there a limit to how many you can bring in or have sent over and pay the duty on? if not then ill stock as like i say it'll work out cheaper in the long run i think

$18 for a packet of 20 cigarettes, is that right?

[ripstanley]

Thanks guys

in actuall working out that smokes in perth, e.g marlboro lights cost about 18$, it might be worth it.

Is there a limit to how many you can bring in or have sent over and pay the duty on? if not then ill stock as like i say it'll work out cheaper in the long run i think

If you import too many Customs might think that you are a commercial importer. Through the post keep the value of goods under $1000. This includes the price of the goods and the freight.