# Customs



## WingPete (Jan 29, 2006)

On a recent trip across France, had time to venture into Spain, close to Biaritz, to top up supplies of duty free.
When there, I was "persuaded" (not a smoker) to buy some rolling baccy, like £300 worth, for a friend !!
Stashed it away in the middle of tail locker, very discrete.
Continued up through France to arrive at toll near Rouen, when noticed customs officer stnding other side of booth.
Half guessed his intention, so as clearing booth, he directed me to laybay, where 2 more officers were waiting.
His English was fairly good and enquired if I had been to Spain !!
Not I . 
Been over lots of France, including visit to Pyrenees and Biaritz, but not into Spain.
Had I bought any liquor or tobaco ?
No, I do not smoke and the little liquor was bought on the outgoing ferry, just enough for the trip.
His colleagues tried the locked lockers, and shrugged their shoulders in that Gallic style.
I was then bade fairwell and safe journey. 
WHEW !
I will no longer be buying baccy for anyone.

Luckily, I had heard of such travellers being penalised by French Customs when passing through France with cheaper goods than those that can be bought there, and having to pay local taxes, with the expectation that you claim it back when in UK.

Remember that when en-passage across France from further afield.


----------



## thieawin (Jun 7, 2006)

Although there is a free movement of goods provision for EU domestic trade it is for personal use or consumption only. That is not defined at EU level and France and UK have different definitions of personal use. That means there is a different limit for bringing in EU tax paid goods into France compared to UK.

You brought over the border Spain to France an illegal quantity (the price you paid tells us that), ie you smuggled, it is your duty to stop and declare at the border nowadays. You must have known it was wrong, else why conceal. You then later lied to a customs officer.

You have been lucky indeed to get away with it. If they had found it that would not have been confiscation, but prosecution and a stiff penalty


----------



## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

For some years now there have been reports of French Customs officers checking traffic on roads coming north from Spain.
Ther was also a warning of a similar nature of checks on the road from Belgium to the Channel ports.

It's little different from the UK Customs checking vehicles for amounts of wine etc when entering the UK through the channel ports

You've been very lucky.


----------



## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

A couple of Welsh friends spend th summer school holidays traveling down to spain and always bring back 12 months supply of cigarettes.

They never admit to travelling into spain if stopped and questioned.
On day they will be caught. NPRC will be installed at all border crossings and can easily be checked.

Dave p


----------



## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

I understand that they also have a X-ray truck which can be used to find hidden stuff. I do bring some tobacco for my own use but I would not lie about it, Alan.


----------



## cater_racer (May 1, 2005)

I got rummaged coming in via the Tunnel du Somport, on th N134 last year. Nothing to declare, nothing to be ashamed of.


----------



## Jented (Jan 12, 2010)

Hi.
It happens here,i was asked if i wanted to go on a booze cruise,but could get enough with the lorry,so said no,a couple of weeks later,asked terry,"How did the b/cruise go?". The answer was it didn't go well,straight through customs,a m/cycle police officer pulled out behind him at the Dover dock gates,followed him for a while and just before the weigh station up the hill,passed him and took him into the weighbridge. There the car was weighed,found to be overweight,3 points on his licence,and he was advised to leave the extra booze that made him over weight at the station,(A chap was buying it at £1 a case).Terry asked what would happen if he kept going on now,he was told that before he had got to the Dartford tunnel,he would have amassed enough points for him to loose his licence for a while. So be warned,the officer said they had a directive,to try to stop the illegal trade in booze/****,by any means they could.
Gearjammer


----------



## midgeteler (Jul 19, 2009)

You are right to warn of this "French Transit Tax" Wingpete and as someone who was unwittingly bitten by it when it was initially introduced about 4 years ago can inform Theiwin that the goods are indeed confiscated, AND a payment of the difference between the 2 tax rates (french/spanish) is levied.
In my defence,I was absoloutly honest with my answers to the officer and only had the" UK guideline" of cigs--no booze or baccy.
The whole exercise cost me £650 and about 4 hours"delay"--virtual arrest--at custom compound.
My advice to any fellow smokers is to use Santander/Bilbao to return to UK, missing France completely


----------



## skiboycey (May 21, 2009)

"You have been lucky indeed to get away with it. If they had found it that would not have been confiscation, but prosecution and a stiff penalty"

I'm sorry, but this is crap unless large quantities are involved. I live in France and have had many years of exposure to the culture and the Douanes with their roadside checks. Had you been caught you might, at a very, very outside chance, have been mildly told off. You'd have probably had to pay the duty and a fine but it wouldn't have killed you. It would proabably have been a class 3 offence so around 90 euros like a speeding ticket and almost certainly non-criminal.

If people think the French government spends hundreds of euros an hour to post a couple of Douanes at the side of a peage to catch them carrying 300 quids worth of tobacco then they must live their lives in constant fear of being carted away to prison for exceeding a speed limit by 2mph. In fact the customs guys are looking for drugs, people trafficking, illegal immigrants, drink drivers (if there are Gendarmes there) and other serious crimes. 

I employ a lot of youngsters in my business who're often silly enough to carry quantities of drugs around with them and they never seem to get anything more than a confiscation and telling off when caught. I was once stopped in one of my company vehicles which was searched and, horror, a large reefer was found under the back seats - left there by a member of staff who I fired later that day for his trouble! "It's not mine" I said (genuinely) realising how often they must hear this and was, surprisingly, sent on my way. Either they believed me or, more likely, they're not into spending hours of government time prosecuting people for petty and minor offences. I'd say avoiding 50 quid of tax on your small amount of tobacco would fall into this definition. I'm sure when they find an articulated lorry full of **** and booze it's a very different story. 

Why do they look, then? Well I'm sure one in a thousand camper vans they look in has something worth finding - stowed away people, 100 grands worth of booze, big stash of dope etc. I wouldn't lose sleep over half a kilo of Old Holbourne no matter what the doom-mongers tell you.

If you do want to avoid the Douanes (they're not very bright) get a Michelan map of France which shows you the major peage stops which go right across the motorway. Get off the Autoroute one stop before this and drive the section on A-Roads. Get back on the Autoroute one stop the other side of the major toll barrier. Easy! It's not foolproof and I'm sure they're not THAT stupid that they don't know this but I've rarely seen them anywhere other than major toll sections.

Happy smuggling! Though there are many easier ways to make a living...

Mark


----------



## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

skiboycey said:


> "You have been lucky indeed to get away with it. If they had found it that would not have been confiscation, but prosecution and a stiff penalty"
> 
> I'm sorry, but this is crap unless large quantities are involved. I live in France and have had many years of exposure to the culture and the Douanes with their roadside checks. Had you been caught you might, at a very, very outside chance, have been mildly told off. You'd have probably had to pay the duty and a fine but it wouldn't have killed you. It would proabably have been a class 3 offence so around 90 euros like a speeding ticket and almost certainly non-criminal.
> 
> ...


Spoilsport!:wink:

Dick


----------



## midgeteler (Jul 19, 2009)

I'm sorry, but this is crap. I live in France and have had many years of exposure to the culture and the Douanes with their roadside checks. Had you been caught you might, at a very, very outside chance, have been mildly told off. You'd have probably had to pay the duty and a fine but it wouldn't have killed you. It would proabably have been a class 3 offence so around 90 euros like a speeding ticket and almost certainly non-criminal. 

I am living proof that you are wrong about the amount that they 
levvy on you Skibocey I still have all the paperwork and reciepts.

BTW I have had no probs with douana before or since despite trucking regularly through EU.


----------



## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Douanes*

I will pass this info onto my mate Pierre in Paris (kidding).

I will not run the risk. Friends of ours who we travel with from time-to-time are always suggesting we buy some (10's of thousands) cheap cigs and sell it on for profit back home.

"Will pay for the trip"
"we can make some money"

And I always say to them, when we are in your car/motorhome, you do want you want. As we are in mine, not a fecking chance.

TM


----------



## PabloDevan (Sep 4, 2010)

They would also have a problem prosecuting you, as what they are doing is usually illegal. Under EEC law you have a perfect right to buy cigs and booze anywhere in the EEC and transport it across borders as long as it is duty paid and for your personal use. It's very much the same situation as when UK customs use to confiscate people's cars at channel ports for exceeding there "guidelines". The chap who was overweight has just broken construction and use laws not some sort of smuggling laws. If you stick to the rules there is nothing they can do, and they know it but usually try to intimidate you with all sort of threats and warnings.


----------



## Jented (Jan 12, 2010)

Hi.
It was construction and use,yes,but the customs have people near the border outlets,keeping an eye on buyers. What i was trying to put across was that you may be within the guidlines of the EUC,but,"To stop it by any means",they will also forward those peoples details,if they think they may be overloaded. There was and still is a rat run from just over the Belgium border,into France,and lots of people still try it,Dover,home,made it,..........please pull over here? nuff said.
Gearjammer.


----------



## Annsman (Nov 8, 2007)

I can't say about the prices of **** and baccy because I don't smoke, but why people bother with the booze and wine is beyond me. Prices in supermarkets over here are not that much dfferent than France as far as we've seen. Certainly not enough to have the risk of having your van dismembered on Dover Docks!

As for the **** and baccy. You know the rules, you know it's an offence so if you get caught you deserve what you get.

The money from the revenue goes to the government for a reason and whether you agree with how they use it is irrelevent. It's theft. Just the same as it is if you are working while collecting benefits or not declaring income.

If they did impound and crush a few vans and cars people might not think it's such a lark.


----------



## skiboycey (May 21, 2009)

If you've been done then I stand corrected. However you're talking about a lot of cigs if it cost you £650. We were talking about 300 quids worth of tobacco - easily within whatever dubious 'guidlines' say, i'd imagaine.

If, as it seems, the Doanes and cops are going to break the law (which seems to fairly clearly say that transport for personal means is legal) by nicking people with relatively small amounts of stuff which could easily be for personal use (even if, in reality, it's not - but who's to say what will happen to it - certainly not some French Douane who knows nothing about you personally) then as far as I can see you're within the bounds of moral reason to do all you can to avoid detection! To me the law seemed to be framed to stop professional bootleggers from usurping national laws which are often tied into social and moral aims regarding the control of alcohol and tobacco rather than a few people buying a year's supply of ciggies whilst on holiday in Spain. Otherwise they'd have given clear limits, not said 'for personal consumption' in the wording so we, the public, could know whether we were within the law or not. As usual with politicians and the EU it's a joke!

In which case split it up into small amounts, throw away all packaging and receipts and if they find one of your ten small piles of stash, own up, say it's a fair cop and pay the smaller fine. They're happy - they've got a nick, you're happy - you only paid for 10% of it and the only people unhappy will be the clowns who made up a law saying something is legal who then instruct their representatives to find any way possible to harass people taking advantage of it. As I've often said, once you are pushed into breaking one law it's very, very easy to start ignoring all of them and to descentd into a complete lack of respect for any and all authority.

I'd hate to be one of the people having to impliment this on the ground though, in reality, I have a sneaking suspicion that the type of person who becomes a Douane probably rather likes making a sucession of people's days miserable for them. Why else would you want to do it?

Stuff 'em....

Cheers - and remember the 1st rule of being not guilty is not getting caught. Mark


----------



## PabloDevan (Sep 4, 2010)

The thing is Annsman, don't the people who are supposed to enforce the law also have to respect the law ?. If the law says that you can buy ****, duty paid in the EEC for your personal use why should you be threatened by these people if you are within your lawful rights. They cannot just pluck some arbitary figure from thin air and decide they will intimidate people if they exceed it. The british government have already had to compensate people who's vehicles they confiscated illegally. Why should the french be allowed to get away with it ?. I know of no other country in europe that behaves like they do.


----------



## midgeteler (Jul 19, 2009)

Just to prove my point............................................


----------



## skiboycey (May 21, 2009)

This is, in actual fact, robbery of you by an agent of the state who knows full well that you won't protest it. A PV (procés verbal) has to be with supporting facts otherwise it should be a 'procés dur' which would mean a court summons where a judge decides. Plainly a Douane can't decide if it's for personal use so he's stuffed you.

If anyone gets this again you MUST refuse to sign the document even if harrassed to do so by the agent. Signing for something in France means you accept it and under the codified legal system you'll never be able to contest it. I, for example, refused to sign a PV this year for my bar being open late because I wasn't there at the time and it was my useless staff who kept it open late. I couldn't recognise the facts as I wasn't there. They had to take me to court and they fined me 60 euros in my absence but the important point is that refusing to sign is perfectly normal if you are in disagreement. In this case you, I imagine, disagree with the PV saying you were carrying 'highly taxed items in an irregular manner' as they were for your own use (at least theoretically). In which case you refuse to sign. In all likelihood this won't stop the fine but it does leave it open to you to protest at a later date and might, just might, make them think twice about it.

In my fairly wide experience with French Douanes and Gendarmes it does you little good to be their friend or try to be polite. Start out looking like you know what you're talking about (even if you don't), make it plain you disagree with them and that you are not going to accept their interpretation of the facts. This is a country in which the cops are not very well thought of, not the customs guys and they're used to people not respecting them much. Refuse to be helpful and generally look as though you're insulted by their intrusion into your life. Often they get fed up and give up. If you get a PV and you disagree, don't sign it, don't accept it and take the name, number and contact of anyone involved. Let them know you will contest the charge and demand repayment. They then normally tick a box on the form to say you are not in agreement which will necessitate evidence which they may not have. I, in fact, did this when some little twerp wanted to fine me for not wearing a seatbelt and I refused to sign the PV and indicated a contestation. 3 weeks later I got a cheque and an letter annulling the fine.

Also note in France that there are no ****ty littly 'Terorist' laws the police or douanes can hide behind to stop you filming their search or asking for their names and numbers or, in fact, taking their vehicle registrations. In this country we at least have the protection of a constitution unlike in the UK where civil liberties have rollen over and died as far as I can see. Contest a customs officer there and you'll probably be locked up as an Al Quaida supporter within 5 minutes (joke, before I get shouted at).

As I said, stuff 'em. If they want to harass normal people it's important to make it as hard as possible for them and not be the fawning pushovers that the British Public so often seem to be in the face of the UK Authorities...

Luckily I don't smoke, don't enjoy drugs (I've tried them all and so speak from experience and not scaremongering press) and only drink beer and wine so there's never been much point in me smuggling stuff about...

Good luck on your future travels. Cheers, Mark


----------



## Hobbyfan (Jul 3, 2010)

skiboycey said:


> If they had found it that would not have been confiscation, but prosecution and a stiff penalty"
> 
> I'm sorry, but this is crap unless large quantities are involved.
> Mark


Did you actually read the post properly? The main point about the above paragraph wasn't that WingPete had bought £300 worth of tobacco but that he lied to the customs officer and told them that he hadn't been to Spain.

They didn't search his 'van but if they had and then found the tobacco, which may well have been identifiable as Spanish-sourced, what do you think their reaction would have been?

I suspect it would have been, as stated above: Confiscation, prosecution and a stiff penalty.

Crap - I think not!


----------



## WingPete (Jan 29, 2006)

*Sanctmonious*

What a load of sanctimonious drivel spouted by some self righteous readers of this forum.
I am one of those fortunate individuals who has a clean slate in my record of living life correctly, with this expectation brought to your collective notice. 
Not to be told I was wrong. 
I know I was wrong, and was worried I would be in trouble, but the manner in which I presented myself is convincing enough to assure the Customs of my honesty.
If anyone here wants to throw stones in glasshouses, recall what you may have done and later regretted during your living days.
I regretted what I did, but being aware of these experiences uttered by other forum contributions, thought I would reiterate the point of the need for care. 
My accompanying friend was made most uncomfortable at my responses to her request to carry baccy, never to be done again. 
As to the prices of liquor, yes, it is cheaper in some instances, to buy here, but what I was after is not sold here anyway.
So, having accepted my punishment (!) here, I promise not to deviate from the path of rightuousness again and continue to live my life of exemplary conduct, as I have managed to do for the past 73 years, serving the community and populace at large to the very best of my ability. Thanks for antiicpated repsonses, if any.


----------



## Hobbyfan (Jul 3, 2010)

*Re: Sanctmonious*



WingPete said:


> What a load of sanctimonious drivel spouted by some self rightuous readers of this forum.


I didn't tell you you were wrong, simply reported the facts of what you did. Others will make their own decision.

However, in your original post you made no admission whatsoever that you considered what you had done was wrong! Personally, I'm glad to learn that you do actually consider that lying to a customs officer was wrong.

If others think you were wrong how can they be considered sanctimonious if you yourself agree that you were, possibly just this once, economical with the truth.

The main thrust of your original post seemed to dwell on how glad you were not to have been caught, not regret at an action that might have landed you in trouble.


----------



## PabloDevan (Sep 4, 2010)

Confiscation, prosecution and a stiff penalty.

Why !. It is perfectly legal to transport duty paid spanish tobacco or cigarettes across france as long as it is for your personal use.

Probably not a good idea to lie about having been to spain, and while not a fan of skiboycey's approach i would stand my ground and politely refuse to sign anything.

Just to repeat for those who are a bit slow on the uptake. There are no limits on what you can bring with you as long as it is duty paid in the EEC. The free movement of goods and services within the EEC gives you the right to do this for your personal use. At british ports they have a "guideline" limit of 3200 cigarettes, this is totally unenforceable if they are duty paid and for your own use. [/b]


----------



## Hobbyfan (Jul 3, 2010)

PabloDevan said:


> Confiscation, prosecution and a stiff penalty.
> Why !. It is perfectly legal to transport duty paid spanish tobacco or cigarettes across france as long as it is for your personal use.


Why? I thought I'd made that clear! It's nothing to do with carrying £300 worth of baccy! It's the fact that he lied to the police. If anyone is being slow on the uptake here it's you I'm afraid!

Now, police don't like being lied to and if they'd opened the lockers and found the baccy, what do you think they'd have said? "ello, ello, you naughty British tourist, telling lies to us. Get on your way and don't do it again."

I suspect that first they'd have taken the 'van apart to check for anything else and to teach him a lesson. Then there is every chance of confiscation of the baccy and a stiff penalty.

You mess with the gendarmerie or customs police at your peril!

I'm making no moral judgement here. I'm sure that many decent people have brought in an extra bottle or two when they shouldn't and £300 of baccy isn't exactly the crime of the century. This is about the risk of lying to the authorities!


----------



## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Yes. There is no longer "Duty Free" you can take as many **** as you like across europe. The duty has been paid! Except you cant and the French are breaking EU law so I dont blame you for lying to them. I love France but this really gets my goat. They cant just make laws up against EU legislation when it suits them. So **** are as expensive in France as the UK and half the price over the border and the French dont like it. Well tought titty in my opinion! They are a willing part of the EU so they should abide by the laws and stop hassling people.


----------



## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

barryd said:


> Yes. There is no longer "Duty Free" you can take as many **** as you like across europe. The duty has been paid! Except you cant and the French are breaking EU law so I dont blame you for lying to them. I love France but this really gets my goat. They cant just make laws up against EU legislation when it suits them. So **** are as expensive in France as the UK and half the price over the border and the French dont like it. Well tought titty in my opinion! They are a willing part of the EU so they should abide by the laws and stop hassling people.


Possibly qualify that with " .... as long as you don't resell" Don't you think Barryd?

Dick


----------



## PabloDevan (Sep 4, 2010)

£300 of baccy is not just not crime of the century, it's not a crime at all !.

If you care to read what i said, you will see that i said it was not a good idea to lie to them. Particularly when you are not doing anything wrong, however i'm not sure that they can level a penalty of confiscating your goods as a penalty for telling a lie. You would need someone who knows more about the law than me, but i suspect they cannot.

You are looking at this from completely the wrong angle. The french police / douanes are breaking the law, it's you who must stand up for your legal right to have the goods.

WingPete obviously made a mistake in telling them a porky, but he should never have been put in the situation of being accused of breaking the law.


----------



## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

Don't some posters sanctimonious lectures really get up your nose! :roll: :roll:


----------



## aultymer (Jun 20, 2006)

> You are looking at this from completely the wrong angle. The french police / douanes are breaking the law, it's you who must stand up for your legal right to have the goods.


Good armchair advice!
What is more important - saving a bit on baccy thats trying to kill you or catching your booked ferry?


----------



## aultymer (Jun 20, 2006)

> Don't some posters sanctimonious lectures really get up your nose!


Not half as much as the tobacco smoke does.


----------



## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Glandwr said:


> barryd said:
> 
> 
> > Yes. There is no longer "Duty Free" you can take as many **** as you like across europe. The duty has been paid! Except you cant and the French are breaking EU law so I dont blame you for lying to them. I love France but this really gets my goat. They cant just make laws up against EU legislation when it suits them. So **** are as expensive in France as the UK and half the price over the border and the French dont like it. Well tought titty in my opinion! They are a willing part of the EU so they should abide by the laws and stop hassling people.
> ...


Yes it should be for your own use or perhaps a friend. But if you go away once a year and smoke 20 **** a day then it still could be quite a few thousand.


----------



## midgeteler (Jul 19, 2009)

Confiscation, prosecution and a stiff penalty. 

Why !. It is perfectly legal to transport duty paid spanish tobacco or cigarettes across france as long as it is for your personal use. 

Probably not a good idea to lie about having been to spain, and while not a fan of skiboycey's approach i would stand my ground and politely refuse to sign anything. 

Just to repeat for those who are a bit slow on the uptake. 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Try reading my posts properly PabloDevan
In February 2006 the French unilaterally declared that a "transit tax"would be applied across their country.THEY decided that the limit would be 800 cigs.
I had been working in spain over that period and was returning home in February with what I believed to be a perfectly legal EU ALLOWANCE and when asked by the douane ,told them the truth.
I have had communications with the EU commission on this, pointing out your (and my) belief about cross border duties, but am still waiting for my money back.
It is too simplistic and misleading to give the inncorrect message about duty paid cross France trafic to others who may not be as well travelled.


----------



## Patrick_Phillips (Aug 17, 2006)

A bit wary about sticking my head above the parapet in this thread but...
Whenever I bring Spanish or Italian high duty stuff through France or anywhere else for that matter, I always follow the following advice and have always been allowed through:
1. Spoil the goods for resale purposes. Use a thick felt tip pen to cross out wine/spirit labels. Open all spirit bottles. Open and often decant all tobacco and cigarettes.
2. Never carry more than a year's supply. I used to smoke 2 oz of baccy a week. 8lbs of baccy is quite a lot but I could honestly say I wouldn't want to share what I had.
3. Always tell the truth to officials - even volunteer information. It gets them on your side!
The services taught me a a very early age that being right is only a small part of the issue  

Going back below the parapet now...
Patrick


----------



## midgeteler (Jul 19, 2009)

Always tell the truth to officials - even volunteer information. It gets them on your side! 
The services taught me a a very early age that being right is only a small part of the issue 

Didn't work for me.


----------



## skiboycey (May 21, 2009)

If the authorities choose to break the law and throw the full weight of their undeniably enormous power behind it then I truly believe my 'moral compass' is absolutely fine at that point telling them lies to avoid unecessary hassle (which is exactly what you would have got by saying you'd been to Spain).

Good on you for standing up for yourself. And it's not normally that I'll spring to the defence of a smoker or person who's aiding smoking! 

Now where did I put my pulpit so I can thrash out a sermon on that? Oh, I forgot, I've not reached middle age yet! Ha ha!!!

If the customs guys are going to rob you and pay no attention to the law they purport to uphold then they deserve to be lied to and treated with scorn. If they are so small as to 'punish' you by pulling your car apart because you took the perfectly sensible step of being economical with the truth to avoid an unpleasant situation then it says a lot more about them than you. If everybody would have a little bit of backbone with these government sponsored crooks the situation would probably soon stop. Next thing we know the French Douanes will be taxing you for diesel you bought in Spain and are carrying in your tank. Probably worth a lot more in lost revenue than a few ciggies.

As for blindly telling the truth to authorities I thought most people who lived in the real World of crooked and morally bankrupt ruling classes had learned how stupid that pathway is before they'd left school. Don't blame me - I'm just a realist...

Regards to all, Mark


----------



## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

skiboycey said:


> I'm sorry, but this is crap ....Happy smuggling!


Thanks for your input. I'll be sure to take that advice and offend with impunity.

Dougie.


----------



## Hobbyfan (Jul 3, 2010)

tonyt said:


> Don't some posters sanctimonious lectures really get up your nose! :roll: :roll:


Not half as much as those who post nasty and snide comments that add nothing to the thread, just because they had a row with someone weeks ago and like some kid in the playground can't seem to get over it. Terribly sad! :roll: :roll:


----------



## Patrick_Phillips (Aug 17, 2006)

skiboycey said:


> As for blindly telling the truth to authorities I thought most people who lived in the real World of crooked and morally bankrupt ruling classes had learned how stupid that pathway is before they'd left school. Don't blame me - I'm just a realist...


Well, I knew I should have stayed in my universe :wink: but I can't resist saying that my experience has shown me that those who look for trouble usually find it and those who believe the best of everyone are seldom disappointed. 8O

Patrick


----------



## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

In 1994 I popped over to France to complete the signing on our house.
I was on my own and returning to UK was stopped and questioned by Customs. As it happened I had absolutely no booze or backy in the car at all. They also asked if I had been to Spain, I said not for many years.
They must have been a little confused about this and searched me and all my documents.
They apparently saw something that needed investigating and promptly searched the car taking out everything including the carpets, spare wheel and door trims.

After an hour or so they looked puzzled and came back to me again asking when I had last been in Spain. I had time to remember and said 1982. Ah ha they said then why have you got a Spanish postage stamp in the pocket of your passport?

I suggested they look at the value and ask themselves how long ago was it that you could post a letter in Spain for the 5 Peseta stamp.

They even put all the car back together and rather embarrassedly waved me on my way about two hours late. Dumb or what?

Ray.


----------



## jedi (Nov 22, 2007)

Just a little aside. Read in this thread somewhere that it isn't worth bringing back wine from France because you can buy it as cheaply at UK supermarkets. Which supermarket please?

Brought back 90 bottles this year (for personal use and well within the limits may I add) at average cost of £2.70. One in particular cost £1.90. Tesco have this very same bottle at special offer, half price at £3.99 at present! Don't miss it!

Hic! :lol:


----------



## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

I found this, http://www.inbrief.co.uk/importing-tobacco-from-eu.htm

Here is an extract from that site:

Purchasing tobacco in person from another EU country

When you purchase tobacco in person from another EU country, for example France, the rules are slightly different. As implemented by an EU directive (Council Directive 92/12/EEC), when tobacco is dispatched by a vendor in one member state to a private individual in another member state, it forms a commercial transaction and is thus liable to duty in the member state of destination.

When travelling from the EU to the UK you do not have to pay any tax or duty on goods you have bought in another EU country as long as:

When you purchased the items, tax was already included in the price;

The items are for your own use;

The items have been transported to the UK by you;

This includes gifts, but does NOT include any item that is intended to be used as payment or to be resold.

The quantities they will agree as being for your own use are not large.

3200 cigarettes

400 cigarillos

200 cigars

3 kg of smoking tobacco

I would bring around twice that quantity of what they call smoking tobacco for a years supply, so it's not just the French who are ignoring the law. Let's face it Governments and officials do whatever they like a lot of the time. There is nothing new in that, Alan.


----------



## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Yep, I regularly buy a very quafable red in Lidl's France at €1.99.
Same wines are double the price in Lidl UK stores.

Pack of 24 beers here in French Lidl is €4.39. In UK they are £12.

We usually bring back enough to feed the appetites of our family while we visit but I absolutely refuse to ever buy booze in UK again.

Ray.


----------



## PabloDevan (Sep 4, 2010)

Erneboy, that limit of 3200 is just a guideline. It has no legal basis whatsoever. The UK use to have a illegal regime of confiscating the cars of people who arrived with more than what used to be much lower limits. Eventually someone took them to court, and won. They had to pay compensation to all the people whose cars they had snatched. That is why nowadays they may give you a hard time, but they actually can't do anything.

For those people who think i am pontificating from my armchair (or monday morning quarterbacking, as the yanks say). I had a personal experience with the douanes at dieppe about 5 o clock one morning. They asked me if i had cigarettes, i said yes. They asked me how many i said about 4000. They asked me to show them, i did and they know they are from Spain as they are stamped. They said did i know about the french rule, they spoke perfect english. I said yes, and i know your rule is illegal. They had a choice of holding me and making me miss the ferry or let me get on the boat. I think they thought better of it and settled for a packet of twenty each. 

I was once told that french police after recruitment are given training
then a gun and a uniform, after that they have to go out and build up there own business. I have yet to find any proof that this is wrong.


----------



## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Yes Pablo, that's why I said I would bring twice that quantity, Alan.


----------

