Customs duty in Different countries

[Sarkis]

Have ordered some time ago cigars from online shop in US to Australia. Ordered about 25 cigars of Torro and Gordo sizes. I've paid with delivery about $220.
Today have received an invoice from Australian Customs and Border protection, stating that my cigars' total weight is 630 grams and I have to pay them $360 for customs duty within 30 days, or they will destroy the parcel.

According to the invoice the price is $502.48 per kg.

Has anyone had such an experience before and if yes, how much is customs duty in your country?

Cheers.

 

[louich]

Here in beaver land they do not tax on the weight but on the the typw of goods and perceived value.

Say I buy a box of cigars (Dont ask me where I found thia example..) for 140 shipped. They (cuatoms) see cigars on the declaration form and proceed to put the federal excise tax on it wich amiut to about 90-100 bucks. Hey then look where the parcel goes (province of Qc for me) they add an other tax that amounts to 220 bucks.

Total they want 320 for a 140 package.

I know that Australia and here are crazy with the amount of taxes they ask fir tobacco product.

Sorry for your loss.

 

[Undegreed]

Shishkabob! I won't complain about a 40% tobacco tax in Colorado anymore. Would the same thing happen if the sticks were mailed from an individual (non-tobacco company)?

 

[2K6TBSS]

Shishkabob! I won't complain about a 40% tobacco tax in Colorado anymore. Would the same thing happen if the sticks were mailed from an individual (non-tobacco company)?

 
I would imagine that if an individual (non-tobacco company) sent the package they wouldn't say it contains tobacco.  I know that the few package I have sent outside the U.S, and the few that I have received from outside the U.S didn't show tobacco products as the contents.
 
 
 
ETA - If for example - I send Louich something, I might send him a "picture frame", or a "book".  I don't think there is any tax associated with those items, or if there is it's probably very minimal.

 

[Sarkis]

 

Shishkabob! I won't complain about a 40% tobacco tax in Colorado anymore. Would the same thing happen if the sticks were mailed from an individual (non-tobacco company)?

 
I would imagine that if an individual (non-tobacco company) sent the package they wouldn't say it contains tobacco.  I know that the few package I have sent outside the U.S, and the few that I have received from outside the U.S didn't show tobacco products as the contents.
 
 
 
ETA - If for example - I send Louich something, I might send him a "picture frame", or a "book".  I don't think there is any tax associated with those items, or if there is it's probably very minimal.
 

Sometimes they do open the parcels and check the content. 
 
In addition to that, I have noticed that previously when I have ordered the smaller pack totaling 13 cigars (different sizes) they haven't charged me anything, even though on the box it was clearly stated "Cigars".
 
I think in the future I will order 2-3 small batches, rather than one big box.

 

[louich]

Exactly J. Not taxes since we are in a free trade zone. Only tobacco and alcohol gets that 'special' treatment.

 

[personal User]

I have noticed that all of the international dealers that I have dealt with have a notice on their website stating something to the effect that they are not responsible for any countries tariffs and they are the responsibility of the customer.
 
I am in the US, I have seen the official tariff on cigars and while I do not recall the exact amount it is so low as to not be worth the effort of tracking and collecting. 
 
I also have read that some countries have a tariff on cigars that is prohibitive with Australia and Canada leading the list, honorable mention to the UK as being right up there and some other countries also.
 
There are at least four major international on-line cigar sellers that operate out of a duty-free Swiss warehouse. While they mainly sell Cubans, and ship many of them to US addresses - I have thought for some time that very probably a good bit of their business was also shipping to countries where the tariff is quite high.
 
There is a prohibition in this forum and most others that are US based, on posting sources that sell cubans or I would post some links.

 

[Sarkis]

I have noticed that all of the international dealers that I have dealt with have a notice on their website stating something to the effect that they are not responsible for any countries tariffs and they are the responsibility of the customer.
 
I am in the US, I have seen the official tariff on cigars and while I do not recall the exact amount it is so low as to not be worth the effort of tracking and collecting. 
 
I also have read that some countries have a tariff on cigars that is prohibitive with Australia and Canada leading the list, honorable mention to the UK as being right up there and some other countries also.
 
There are at least four major international on-line cigar sellers that operate out of a duty-free Swiss warehouse. While they mainly sell Cubans, and ship many of them to US addresses - I have thought for some time that very probably a good bit of their business was also shipping to countries where the tariff is quite high.
 
There is a prohibition in this forum and most others that are US based, on posting sources that sell cubans or I would post some links.

Fortunately for Australia, there is no ban on Cuban cigars.
 
The previous order for 13 cigars was from there, and there were no tax, even though the sign on the parcel had a clear message - Cigars. But that online shop clearly state that they do not sell cigars to US. 
 
My next order will be from one of those international, will try them later. The only issues they have is that the sell mostly Cuban cigars, and the list of non-Cuban is very short, and they don't sell the sample box (before buying box of any cigar I have to try it, regardless of what rating it has).
 
Anyway, will try them next time and will let you know how it went.

 

[louich]

Why buy NC anywhere else than form the US? If kind of defies any logic IMO.

 

[searsa1]

About $365 per kilo duty on cigars in Great Britain + VAT.

 

[personal User]

Why buy NC anywhere else than form the US? If kind of defies any logic IMO.

May be that other areas get less scrutiny and are less likely to be stopped crossing a border, and incur taxation at an exorbitant level
 
Depending on where the end user is located, packages coming in from various areas, by various methods are quite likely treated very differently depending on origin, destination, method of shipment and declared contents.

 

[Sarkis]

 

Why buy NC anywhere else than form the US? If kind of defies any logic IMO.

May be that other areas get less scrutiny and are less likely to be stopped crossing a border, and incur taxation at an exorbitant level
 
Depending on where the end user is located, packages coming in from various areas, by various methods are quite likely treated very differently depending on origin, destination, method of shipment and declared contents.
 

 
I buy NC cigars from Alantic cigars. I haven't found yet any non-US online stores providing such a variety as the US stores do.
In addition to that, there are specific cigars which I couldn't find anywhere else except this store.
 
And I believe, no one would like to make an order from some dodgy looking website registered in the middle of nowhere providing them you Credit Card details.
 
The other option I think will work for me is to contact the stores represented here, but most of them I believe are from US anyway

 

[mjolnir01]

About $365 per kilo duty on cigars in Great Britain + VAT.

I learned this the hard way when ordering from a vendor on the continent while I lived there... once customs finished with that package of Boli RCs I might have well just bought them from a Hunters & Frankau vendor in London.  The cost would have been roughly the same.

 

[Sarkis]

 

About $365 per kilo duty on cigars in Great Britain + VAT.

I learned this the hard way when ordering from a vendor on the continent while I lived there... once customs finished with that package of Boli RCs I might have well just bought them from a Hunters & Frankau vendor in London.  The cost would have been roughly the same.
 

In our case in local shops the prices are ridiculously expensive - Cohiba Siglo VI - $86 per stick.... If you order a box they will give you a 20-25% discount. It still makes it at least $645 per box of 10.
 
Online from international stores you can get a box of 10 with delivery varies from $170 to $270 depends on the shop. Customs for 10 sticks will cost me about $150. So when I order online even from the most expensive shop, I still save a fortune

 

[searsa1]

Did Australia go to the plain paper packaging for cigars too? 

 

[Sarkis]

Did Australia go to the plain paper packaging for cigars too? 

Something like that was introduced sometime ago, local stores have to cover all the cigars boxes with the olive colored paper. They say that by this the desire to buy reduces.