Has anyone been caught smuggling coming off the ship?

[Cruizinman]

Failure to declare agriculture products is a minimum $300 penalty. And yes, I am a CBP Agriculture Specialist.[/QUOTE]

 

What does the job pay ? Not saying your not qualified .

[@homeinok]

Last Cruise we got flagged for customs glad I filled the card out right. Thought about not filling out the watches and jewelry we bought while on board around $7000 worth. Paid $70 or $80 I think. When we came in they had some ladies in there that did not report the jewelry out that they had bought and they pulled out the S&S records and where asking them what about this $12,000 piece here? At that time he pointed to the sign that said it was a $20,000 fine for falsifying customs documents and sat them in a small room. It was kinda funny.....

[Cruizinman]

Last Cruise we got flagged for customs glad I filled the card out right. Thought about not filling out the watches and jewelry we bought while on board around $7000 worth. Paid $70 or $80 I think. When we came in they had some ladies in there that did not report the jewelry out that they had bought and they pulled out the S&S records and where asking them what about this $12,000 piece here? At that time he pointed to the sign that said it was a $20,000 fine for falsifying customs documents and sat them in a small room. It was kinda funny.....

 

That's a huge chunk .

[@homeinok]

I thought I was going to have to pay a few hundred dollars but the officer added all 4 of us traveling together and used some exemptions after it looked like his calculator was going to catch on fire then to my surprise $78. I still think he gave me some exemptions just to poke at the Lady that Lied to him.

[Cruizinman]

I thought I was going to have to pay a few hundred dollars but the officer added all 4 of us traveling together and used some exemptions after it looked like his calculator was going to catch on fire then to my surprise $78. I still think he gave me some exemptions just to poke at the Lady that Lied to him.

 

Talk about a hook and noose release :D .Whew ;)

[@homeinok]

Also forgot to add that I was not randomly selected out of a line. When I swiped my S&S card when leaving the ship the bells went off like I was the Millionth customer at the local Piggly Wiggly!!! At that time they had me sit down and had customs escort me to my luggage and then to the office. Moral of the story is to do as I did and fill your Customs card out accurately when leaving the boat.

[SadieN]

We smuggled fruit and cereal boxes off a couple times.. haha

 

I was actually followed by the AG dog in San Diego. I was walking too fast for the dog to sit. She smelled the Froot Loops.

Her handler just looked at the Lab and shook her head. Lol

[debkjw]

I guess you can learn something new every cruise. Our family has always bought several cartons each on the sign and sale cards. We also have bought them at port stops. 4 people take off 10 cartons. nothing has ever been said.

I thought that if you bought jewelry at duty free areas you didn't have to report them? Can someone comment on that. When I did Tahiti we went to Hawaii first and bought pearls the poor quality mis shapened ones to make necklaces out of, at Hawaii before we went to Tahiti and they did question us as we were wearing them. I kept the receipts and sailed through customs.

 

 

debkjw

[sparks1093]

I guess you can learn something new every cruise. Our family has always bought several cartons each on the sign and sale cards. We also have bought them at port stops. 4 people take off 10 cartons. nothing has ever been said.

I thought that if you bought jewelry at duty free areas you didn't have to report them? Can someone comment on that. When I did Tahiti we went to Hawaii first and bought pearls the poor quality mis shapened ones to make necklaces out of, at Hawaii before we went to Tahiti and they did question us as we were wearing them. I kept the receipts and sailed through customs.

 

 

debkjw

 

You have to declare everything purchased. Duty free only refers to export duty from the country of origin, you may still be on the hook for the import duty which is what CBP charges.

[mintsugarcube]

I have to admit that the only thing I smuggle off the ship is a boat load (sorry!) of those small cereal boxes. Not a suitcase full, but maybe 10-20 of them. Nothing else. Could I be fined for that?

[Swampbabe]

Failure to declare agriculture products is a minimum $300 penalty. And yes, I am a CBP Agriculture Specialist.

 

As it should be, we are trying to get rid of the white flies in our landscape here in FL. The little buggers come from Belize and Honduras (Central America) Please follow the rules.

[rtfnl]

About 17 years ago, my group flew from Tampa to Aruba to sail on the Seawind one summer. A lady in the group had purchased spices and mangos, which she packed in her checked luggage. When we arrived back in Tampa customs did spot checks. She was selected to have her luggage inspected. Her mangos and spices were confiscated. She had to pay at least $250 in fines. Why she decided to bring mangos back to FLORIDA, I don't know. She could have easily purchased mangos that tasted the same if not better. While we were waiting for her a family was waiting for a family member because he went over the cigar allowance. It was enough members to spread the cigars amongst them.

 

We still laugh at the lady and her mangos, because they were riped when we had purchased them at the beginning of the cruise and they were really smelling (in a good way) when we landed in Tampa

[fireofficer5]

I always buy 15 or so cartons & always declare them. Duty is $10 per carton.

 

And with regard to the fruit...One time, a few years ago, I was randomly pulled over for an "agriculture inspection". They brought me to a separate room, opened my luggage & went through it. I didn't have any...but they said they examine about every 50th person disembarking ;).

Regarding the fruit inspection.

The only time I had my luggage checked by customs in 35 years of travel was in 2012.

Edited December 19, 2013 by fireofficer5

[happybooker1]

My parents retired to Guadalajara Mexico back in the late 70's. About 3 times a year I would fly to see them.

 

Once I brought back limes -- about 2 dozen of them off one of their trees. Customs asked me to open my luggage up and those 2 dozen limes (NOT in a bag) ended up bouncing all over the Customs floor! There were people scrambling to chase limes down EVERYWHERE! Everyone was laughing -- even the officials were grinning.

 

They confiscated the limes and tsk-tsk'ed me. I STILL get a chuckle out of remembering that scene!

[fuddrules]

We still laugh at the lady and her mangos

 

Consider yourself fortunate. I get slapped when I do that.

[ldlewis45]

Failure to declare agriculture products is a minimum $300 penalty. And yes, I am a CBP Agriculture Specialist.[/

 

What does the job pay ? Not saying your not qualified .

 

I'll leave it to you to look it up, but I'm a GS-12 Step 2, plus roughly 20% locality pay and 15% shift differential. Entry-level for the position is GS-5, 7, or 9, depending on education and experience. Full performance level is GS-12. Almost everyone in the position has at least a bachelor's degree, and many have advanced graduate degrees in biological science or agriculture fields.

Edited December 21, 2013 by ldlewis45

[Carnival_Brides]

I have to admit that the only thing I smuggle off the ship is a boat load (sorry!) of those small cereal boxes. Not a suitcase full, but maybe 10-20 of them. Nothing else. Could I be fined for that?

 

Cereal should be fine as long as it's sealed in it's original packaging (that's what GS on the Pride told me). I usually end up with a box or two at the end since you can get it 24/7 through room service.

Edited December 21, 2013 by Carnival_Brides

[larronry]

As it should be, we are trying to get rid of the white flies in our landscape here in FL. The little buggers come from Belize and Honduras (Central America) Please follow the rules.

I had no idea where those came from. Those things are driving me crazy. Although I would assume they could still infect us by just flying off the ships that are in port.

[mintsugarcube]

Cereal should be fine as long as it's sealed in it's original packaging (that's what GS on the Pride told me). I usually end up with a box or two at the end since you can get it 24/7 through room service.

 

Thanks so much for responding!:)

[loxley]

Thanks so much for responding!:)

 

 

 

If I found someone with 10 - 20 boxes of cereal, it would make me wonder what else might be packed in the suitcases.

 

Just saying.

[jim1reed]

Everything has to be reported? We bought jewelry in Puerto Rico and paid tax at the shop. It was a piece less than 2000. I thought since we paid tax there I didn't have to declare it. Am I wrong?

 

Jim

[vacruizer]

Just off a cruise that ported in my favorite shopping place - St. Thomas! We spoiled ourselves this year and bought a tad over the allowance (try around $8000 in jewelry). Since we didn't buy on ship, we didn't put anything but the one bottle of booze we had in a bag we were carrying on the declarations. When disembarking, I wore most as did my DH. The customs guy looked right at me and the form and asked "No new jewelry this trip?" I said "Nope, not this time" and off we went. :D

 

Oh and Secret deodorant does work!

 

I'm always a bit surprised when people think it's cool to brag about dishonesty. :rolleyes:

[DallasGuy75219]

Everything has to be reported? We bought jewelry in Puerto Rico and paid tax at the shop. It was a piece less than 2000. I thought since we paid tax there I didn't have to declare it. Am I wrong?

 

Jim

 

Everything purchased outside of the US. Since Puerto Rico is a US territory, no need to declare what you bought there.

[ediemarie]

i'm always a bit surprised when people think it's cool to brag about dishonesty. :rolleyes:

 

 

 

+1.

[jim1reed]

Thanks Dallasguy. It should have clicked when I said I paid tax.

 

Jim