Cigars - Purchasing in the US & Duty Free Charges

[Archphoto]

A friend of mine travels regularly from AU to US and is always asking if I'd like her to bring some cigars (Cuban & non-Cuban) brought back for me.

I'm actually toying with the idea of saying "Yes" on her next trip, as there are a few dealers who have some great samplers I'd like to try out.

Has anyone been pulled up and asked to pay duty on these? Cigarettes are very easy to figure out, but cigar weight depends entirely on what you purchase.

Anyone brought cigars back and been waved through without being weighed?

Suggestions welcome.:mrgreen:

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The excise rates can be found here: https://www.ato.gov.au/Business/Exc...oods/Tobacco-excise/Excise-rates-for-tobacco/

For cigars that would be $763.20 per kilo. Tobacco under 50 grams total will be free of charge. 50 grams or more and the whole amount is subject to duty.

In addition to the stated duty GST is also payable. This is based on two components - the initial purchase price and the excise itself. On a carton of cigarettes customs deems the carton to be worth $20 duty free, so it attracts $2. Then there's the 10% on the excise. I dunno what they would deem as the price of the cigars.

If you are in excess you should tick 'yes' in the relevant box. Depending on how much you have they sometimes (rarely) exercise discretion and waive it through. Otherwise they send you down the 'full search' channel where an officer counts the cigarettes/tobacco and has a chart with the cost. You then go to the payment window. The whole process takes about 5-10 minutes.

 

[Archphoto]

Thanks MT - that helps a lot. Now just need to figure out how to work out how many cigars I can get in 50g lots, without having any in front of me.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

For cuban cigars there's a website! Although it's dated 2013: http://www.cubancigarwebsite.com/official-weights.html

 

[Major]

I buy mine from Neptune Cigars in Fort Lauderdale. They are very well priced. If I plan to be in the US then I have them sent to my Hotel.

They are quite liberal in their Australian shipping

 

[Boca68]

Thanks MT - that helps a lot. Now just need to figure out how to work out how many cigars I can get in 50g lots, without having any in front of me.

Cigars in 50g lots? A box is out of the question, unless your prepared to pay the excise.

Depending on type, (corona, figuerado, panetela etc..) Cubans weigh anything between 6gm up to 25gm per cigar. Not including cigarillo types

Check this forum, (3rd post, I think) Table of Cigar sizes by weight?