UKBA Customs Clampdown Oct 1st

[Butts]

Don't know if people are aware but from October 1st 2011 Customs Officers are going to start asking more questions to people legally importing tobacco from an EU Country which has been purchased paying the applicable rate of duty in the Country it was bought in. In theory there is no limit for personal consumption.

At the moment no justification has to be given for 3200 Cigarettes or 3kg of Tobacco.

From tommorrow this changes to 800 cigarettes (less than two months supply to a twenty a day man) and 1KG of Tobacco.

There is obviously a big smuggling problem which is estimated to lose the UK treasury £2 Billion per annum which could be added to the £11Billion they are already trousering each year.

Some years ago there was a proposal to harmonise excise rates throughout the EU but unsuprisingly the UK was not in favour as it was near the "top of the league table" and equalisation would have resulted in a reduction in the UK duty and hence "haul"

Have the government only got themselves to blame for this problem

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

When were the current tobacco limits set?

 

[Butts]

When were the current tobacco limits set?

They are only advisory both the existing and new amounts as in theory if you have purchased the goods in an EU country and paid the relevant level of tax prevailing there (normally a lot lower than the UK)there is no limit to the amount you can import for personal use.

The advisory limits began with the end of "Duty Free" within the EU - if tax rates had been harmonised as was suggested at the time there would be no incentive for smugglers as the prices would be much closer abroad with no profit margin.

People then began to visit the EU in Transit vans to stock up at lower European prices and knock them out in the UK whilst still retaining a profit for themselves.

If you consider the variation in the price of a packet of cigarettes within the EU can be as high as £4 or more the opportunity to profit becomes apparent.

If I go to Luxembourg and buy 3200 Rothmans (160 pkts) for about £500 which is about what they would cost I have saved over £600 on the £1120 the same quantity would cost in the UK .

Factor in a flight and even a hotel allowing a mini holiday and I am still well into profit. I get five months supply of smokes at once. At the same time the UK Treasury loses £900 in tax .

Yes folks out of the £1120 80% is tax

 

[martinsh]

If I go to Luxembourg and buy 3200 Rothmans (160 pkts) for about £500 which is about what they would cost I have saved over £600 on the £1120 the same quantity would cost in the UK .

Why not go to Latvia instead of Luxemburg ? 160 packets would cost about £350 there. Added advantages, more interesting trains and beer ...:roll:

 

[richw]

I returned to the UK on tuesday via Brittany ferries after 24 hrs paying a flying visit to friends in morlaix, and there was an increase in border staff and customs in Plymouth compared to normal. I pop over to see my friend there at least once a month on the newspaper offers that pop up regularly, such as car 2 passengers 24 hrs return for 20 quid etc. Each time I bring back a months worth of personal consumption alcoholic drinks, as the price of alcohol is a fifth of UK prices. Somehow I've never been questioned or stopped which I'd expect being such a regular traveller

 

[Butts]

Why not go to Latvia instead of Luxemburg ? 160 packets would cost about £350 there. Added advantages, more interesting trains and beer ...:roll:

I would be wary about "fakes" are they ok in Latvia ?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I returned to the UK on tuesday via Brittany ferries after 24 hrs paying a flying visit to friends in morlaix, and there was an increase in border staff and customs in Plymouth compared to normal. I pop over to see my friend there at least once a month on the newspaper offers that POP up regularly, such as car 2 passengers 24 hrs return for 2014 quid etc. Each time I bring back a months worth of personal consumption alcoholic drinks, as the price of alcohol is a fifth of UK prices. Somehow I've never been questioned or stopped which I'd expect being such a regular traveller

The "advisory" alcohol limits have not been altered they remain the same as prior to October 1st - not as easy to transport or profitable as fags.

 

[Oracle]

When we went to the Continent a year ago we found that French ciggie prices seemed to be almost as much as the UK prices, Belgian were a bit chaper, but the Dutch prices were much cheaper in some case: £2.50 for 20?

 

[rail-britain]

I always thought the personal limit (within EU) was 200 units (an outer of 10 x 20 pack or equivalent)
I personally think this is the limit they should enforce
Between 200 and (excessive limit) then additional duty should be applied
Above the excessive limit then the current policy is fair (pay the full duty or complete seized)

 

[Oracle]

It was and is 200 for outside the EU [and Norway/Switzerland], e.g. from the Channel Islands, Canary Islands. However, I seem to recall that opened packs are not counted towards the allowance. I have known of passengers that have taken a ciggie out of several packs to supplement their duty-free allowance!

Ciggies on the Canaries are apparently much cheaper than over here. On satellite tv they featured a programme on Gatwick. An X-ray revealed that three suitcases had hundreds and hundreds of cigarettes in them. The three elderly owners claimed that they had believed that the Canaries, being Spanish, were inside the EU so the normal allownces would apply. The Customs chap explained that because the islands are not in the EU tobacco is much cheaper, and they would have to therefore lose their purchases. The suggestion was that these were 'mules' importing cheap cigarettes for onward sale by someone who had paid them to bring them in.

 

[Greenback]

It was and is 200 for outside the EU [and Norway/Switzerland], e.g. from the Channel Islands, Canary Islands. However, I seem to recall that opened packs are not counted towards the allowance. I have known of passengers that have taken a ciggie out of several packs to supplement their duty-free allowance!

Ciggies on the Canaries are apparently much cheaper than over here. On satellite tv they featured a programme on Gatwick. An X-ray revealed that three suitcases had hundreds and hundreds of cigarettes in them. The three elderly owners claimed that they had believed that the Canaries, being Spanish, were inside the EU so the normal allownces would apply. The Customs chap explained that because the islands are not in the EU tobacco is much cheaper, and they would have to therefore lose their purchases. The suggestion was that these were 'mules' importing cheap cigarettes for onward sale by someone who had paid them to bring them in.

Ther eis genuine confusion over the position of places like the Canaries and Gibraltar. Flights from these countries, and passengers off cruise ships that have called there, are targetted by Customs because of this.

As they say, ignorance is no defence!

 

[WestCoast]

Ciggies on the Canaries are apparently much cheaper than over here. On satellite tv they featured a programme on Gatwick. An X-ray revealed that three suitcases had hundreds and hundreds of cigarettes in them. The three elderly owners claimed that they had believed that the Canaries, being Spanish, were inside the EU so the normal allownces would apply. The Customs chap explained that because the islands are not in the EU tobacco is much cheaper, and they would have to therefore lose their purchases. The suggestion was that these were 'mules' importing cheap cigarettes for onward sale by someone who had paid them to bring them in.

Yes, 'tobacco-runs' to the Canaries and Gibraltar are common. Not that I smoke, but that's where a lot of people go to get them.

There's one guy I know who asks around for anyone going to these places.

 

[Butts]

I always thought the personal limit (within EU) was 200 units (an outer of 10 x 20 pack or equivalent)
I personally think this is the limit they should enforce
Between 200 and (excessive limit) then additional duty should be applied
Above the excessive limit then the current policy is fair (pay the full duty or complete seized)

I think you are confusing "Duty Free" with "Duty Paid".

Duty Free cigarettes are no longer available for travellers between EU Countries.

However if you purchase cigarettes in an EU Country many of which have far lower prices due to lower rates of taxation, there is NO LIMIT to the number you are allowed to import for personal consumption.

You have paid the rate of duty applicable in the EU Country of purchase.

The thread is about the reduction from 3200 to 800 the point at which Customs may start asking questions - ie suspect you are bringing them in to flog rather than personally consume.