U.S customs check?

[Guest]

Hey all I am now having to leave LOS for a while. Of course this means dealing with customs back in the states. Now I am not trying to be a bad boy, but I am bringing home a couple of fake watchs and some MP3 cd's along with some patnip ware. I am just wondering what to expect. Will I loose it all to the customs version of christmas shopping. Any thoughts or opinions are more than welcome.

[Guest]

Vegas Dave--

Technically speaking it is against US law to knowingly import items that violate US copyright laws (unless you have a permit from the copyright holder). The US Customs service is charged with enforcing laws from many other agencies at the various Point Of Entry (POE's) to which one you will use.

With that being said, the "standard practice" is that if you do NOT have such quantities that appear to be for re-sale (in the US) you should not have any problems.

(ie: one watch for yourself and a few cd's)

The problems come in when you try to import a box full of fake stuff that is obviously for re-sale in the US... This denies the US copyright holder income from their rights. These items will be seized (and later destroyed)

Technically the Customs Service does have the right to seize ANY amount of material that is in violation of copyright laws, but as said earlier, the practice has been to allow "reasonable quantities for personal use".

Of course, if questioned by an Inspector or required to detail your purchases on your entry form, I would NOT attempt to "hide" or "misrepresent" your contents... Will only make things worse for you.

The inspectors have seen literally thousand of travellers, just like you, coming back from Bangkok and they "know" what is commonly bought there and brought back into the US. You can't (and don't want to try to) fool them.

ONE NOTE OF CAUTION: The attempted importation of any type of CONTROLLED substance (drugs) is a big "no-no"..

While there are drugs that can be bought Over The Counter (OTC) in Thailand legally, these drugs (in the US) require a valid prescription. Therefore, if you are found to have any, you will most likely be asked for it.

If you don't have one, the drugs will be confiscated from you.

All in all, Customs inspections are routine, efficient and painless (if you declare correctly and don't act like an ass).

--UPSer

[Boo Radley]

quote:

---

Originally posted by UPSer:

Vegas Dave--

...With that being said, the "standard practice" is that if you do NOT have such quantities that appear to be for re-sale (in the US) you should not have any problems.

(ie: one watch for yourself and a few cd's)...

---

Interesting post. How many CDs would you consider to be a few?

[Guest]

We brought back 10 or 11 computer games on cd no problem.

(they were in my daughters backpack.)

they ( customs) did see them, but did not bother about it.

They were from pantip, and I have no idea if they were copies ( but the packages, printing did look kind of crappy, like duplicated)

BTW: some of them did not work on my son's pc, something about for forign systems or some nonsense.

 

I would agree with UPSer, if you are only bringing back a few pieces, they probably will not mess with you.

as for over the counter stuff from s.e. asia ( drugs), I have had a few things with me, but only a few, so it did not look like I was stocking up, or selling them. and even though customs "pawed through" my kit, they did not hassel me about any of it.

 

One thing ( remotely related to the topic)

in mid nov. going through SEA, I got pulled aside after xray, and had my scissors ( all of about 1.5" size) confisticated from the freebie ditty kit I was given on NW from nrt to sea. ( piss poor planning by NW imho)

so, I would say with the new security stuff going on, and the chance of several ppl pawing through ur belongings, no telling what they may say/do about things that are not security related if they find them.

[Guest]

Boo Radley --

Me personally, I'd think that may be six or so would be fair... But that's MY opinion and there is NO absolute definition of this.

As you read earlier Pasathai's daughter was passed with more than 6.. I would also note that if you had six of the SAME cd, this would be viewed in an entirely different light.

Again, the issue is that the customs service can't check everyone for everything, so they must be selective in their examination time.. It is long held that they are "primarilly" looking for commerical violations of the copyright laws, not the "personal use" types..

Just like a cop COULD stop you and ticket you for 1 MPH over the limit.. most won't, they are better served looking for the individuals going 25+MPH over as THEY are creating a larger hazard than you.

Lastly, whatever you do, please be sure to answer ALL the questions asked and don't give those "partially correct" answers.. and don't mess around with "drugs" of any kind.. Not worth it... Customs has the legal right to "inspect" everything you have wiht you for as long as they want/need and do not need a warrant of other legal instrument to so (read= they can make your life hard if they choose to do so)

--UPSer

[Guest]

Vegas Dave,

There is a US Customes booklet "Know Before You Go" that covers just about all the regulations for bring items back into the USA.

On my last trip I had 7 watches with me, 4 were 'Rolex' fakes. I listed watches on my declaration form but not the number. I also had a few fake shirts listed. The custome clerk just look at my form and said I wouldn't need to go thru for inspection. A fellow travel had 3 fake 'Rolex' watches. He was check because of the fake designer T shirs listed on his form. He had no problem with the shirts but had to give up 2 od the watches. Like the USPer said, answer all the questions. This other guy had no problems because he had the watches listed. When I got the booklet the custome agent said as long as the items are listed that in most cases you would lose the items and not get into trouble for bring them back with you.

Here is a quote from the booklet, " Pirated copies of copyrighted articles ( made without authorization) are prohibited from being imported into the USA". This is under the CD's and CD Roms. Also "you may bring back genuine copyrighted articles subject to duties"

Here is a quote about the trademark items with regards to fakes. "You are allowed an exemption of one article of each type, such as one watch, one handbag, one shirts as long as it is for personal use. You can claim the exemption once each 30 days" for each of the types.

Hope this helps a little. Next time I will wear one watch and bring one other in checked luggage. On my CD's for music and movies, I removed them and put them in a holder I had with me. Like was mentioned you could tell these were copies because of the quality of the printing on the labels. I got rid of the cases and labels.

[Guest]

guys: no flame intended, but it seems like a lot of trouble to go through/ worrying. just to bring back what amounts to worthless crap.

It always cracks me up seeing the ( usually some poor guy with his wife) struggling to get that special carved elephant or painted umbrella into the bin on the plane.

I whole lotta work for a dust catcher.

Except for memories, not much eles in Los I would work at bringing back.

( are they working on a tax on memories yet?)

 

( now, if we could sneak a TG or 2 back in our carry on, thats a whole nother thing)

[smittyjp]

Sorry I did not see this thread earlier. I was a US Customs Inspector from 93-96, working mostly from overseas embassies in PI, ROK, etc. UPSer is obviously familiar with America's oldest revenue generators.

I would wear one of my watches, mail a few, and carry a few, increasing your odds. Unless you draw attention to yourself, you've been surveilled and sized well before you approach the first inspector and this usually is enough. One thing I'd like to add is the mistake I used to see so much of. We call them "articulable facts". Examples would be a marijuana leaf on a t-shirt, earring, hair clip, necklace etc. Wearing excessive amounts of fake items, mismatching items as in a new set of suitcases/clothes with shabby shoes will get you noticed, and a good inspector will see alot from your haircut to even spotting fake gold/watches with the naked eye. Follow the green line sir.....

www.customs.ustreas.gov

Smitty

[Guest]

Smittyjp:

 

"shabby shoes"

thanks for that info, must be the same shoes that get the touts in thialand to leave me alone are getting me noticed by customs.

[Guest]

I have a lot of real world data over the last 10 years getting searched on the way back to the US in customs--about a 4 of 5 chance regardless what country/continent I am returning from. I am clean cut, dress neatly & casual, am in my 30's now, have never brought anything in illegally, but I am fitting some profile. My 2 best guesses are (a) I am gunshy now and therefore nervous or ( it's the birkenstocks. Often a woman who sees people getting off the plane picks me out (do they make this decision on the spot or are you earmarked while on the plane? I go biz class), asks me about 4 questions most of which she should already know from my form (what countries did you visit? how long? purpose of travel?) that I answer matter of factly, then she writes an X on the embarkation card (I have never passed that questioning test) and it is off to the bag searches and in one case getting pulled aside and given the 3rd degree by someone who looked and acted like an marine DI to prove I was travelling on business to Japan. He wanted to see business cards, business samples, laptop. Sometimes they ask nothing and just point me to the bag search line. Sometimes I have to go to a "special" station they send someone over to just for me while others are queued at other stations--who knows why or what the difference is. The strangest case is once I was returning from LOS with a friend who had made it out of customs just ahead of me. I had made it all the way to the exit gate and they asked one question: are you travelling alone? I said no thinking this might put me in the clear, but instead they pulled my friend back in and searched both of us!

While I am annoyed every time I am classified as a bad person coming off a 747, it is pretty quick and simple to get through the bag search and done politely. A lot of trinkets of various shapes and sizes you buy in Thailand are wrapped in newspaper by the seller. Customs has never unwrapped these or asked what is inside. They lift and feel, but that's it. Same for anything else inside little bags or containers. They seem most interested in the empty luggage testing the weight and searching for hidden things. For what it is worth, I've never been frisked either. Last advice: don't tell the searcher something is fragile unless you want it thoroughly checked out.