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Oh boy...

George should we have much to worry about?

The chief federal prosecutor in Florida said anyone who travelled illegally or traded with Cuba would be punished.
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The way I read that is that they are focusing on people travelling to Cuba via Mexico/Canada/etc and the people trading with Cuba.

If I buy a box of smokes online from a retailer in Swizterland I'm trading with that retailer not Cuba. (indirectly I am, and I understand that) but it seems dumb for them to try and track down & prosecute us little folks rather than the retailers sending the illegal smokes into the US.

Am I way off base and reading that article wrong?
 
There's been some discussion of this article here:

http://www.cigarpass.com/forumsipb/index.php?showtopic=26825
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I'll say here what I said there:

Breaking the law is breaking the law, and anyone engaging in "those" transactions should be prepared to deal with the consequences.

That said, this and another article that I read lead me to believe that this task force is being formed to lean on parties doing business with, and folks traveling to, Cuba more than anything else.

I will further mention that the above opinion is worth exactly what you paid for it. Holiday Inn Express won't even let me stay there.

In the long run, this might be a good thing. If the fedgov pushes too hard on someone who has the resources to fight back, maybe we'll see a successful challenge against what, IMO, is a foolish law.
 
tigger said:
There's been some discussion of this article here:

http://www.cigarpass.com/forumsipb/index.php?showtopic=26825
Click to expand...

a successful challenge against what, IMO, is a foolish law.
Click to expand...

Foolish? My only comment, cause this leads into political discussions. is that the SOB (read embargo) hasn't worked in 40+ years, Castro is still in charge and there is nothing that will make it work to get him out of power. And by the way these GD Punch's are very good (enjoying one while overseas courtesy of a friend of mine who legally purchased it with his home currency and was kind enough to gift it to me for smoking in his country but will not be taken back to a country with an embargo).
 
HarvInSTL said:
George should we have much to worry about?

The chief federal prosecutor in Florida said anyone who travelled illegally or traded with Cuba would be punished.
Click to expand...

The way I read that is that they are focusing on people travelling to Cuba via Mexico/Canada/etc and the people trading with Cuba.

If I buy a box of smokes online from a retailer in Swizterland I'm trading with that retailer not Cuba. (indirectly I am, and I understand that) but it seems dumb for them to try and track down & prosecute us little folks rather than the retailers sending the illegal smokes into the US.

Am I way off base and reading that article wrong?
Click to expand...


Tony - I'm reading it as the US putting an extra bit of pressure in doing what they can do to stop the flow of US dollars to Cuba given Castro's current state of health, and the possibility of their being a change in the guard in Cuba. To me - that would mean not only increased scrutiny on those traveling to countries that sell the evil Cuban product. I would also venture to say it means there will be increased scrutiny of those outside of our borders that are shipping into this country.

So - how do you fine a website that is shipping to people in the US? I'd say it would be difficult at best. Call me paranoid, But I envision it being much easier for the US to impose stricter penalties on US residents caught dealing with those outside of the US than dealing with the purveyors of the websites. Imagine the effect that would have on the purchasing of Cuban products...

Only time will tell, though... ;)
 
ggiese said:
Tony - I'm reading it as the US putting an extra bit of pressure in doing what they can do to stop the flow of US dollars to Cuba given Castro's current state of health, and the possibility of their being a change in the guard in Cuba. To me - that would mean not only increased scrutiny on those traveling to countries that sell the evil Cuban product. I would also venture to say it means there will be increased scrutiny of those outside of our borders that are shipping into this country.

So - how do you fine a website that is shipping to people in the US? I'd say it would be difficult at best. Call me paranoid, But I envision it being much easier for the US to impose stricter penalties on US residents caught dealing with those outside of the US than dealing with the purveyors of the websites. Imagine the effect that would have on the purchasing of Cuban products...

Only time will tell, though... ;)
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Never thought about it that way, and it makes complete sense. From what I've read Castro's brother isn't any better and I don't think that much would change if Fidel does pass. I'm interested to see what this increased scrutiny of these companies outside the US that ship to the US brings.

If I order a box of these evil smokes from a company outside of the US how does the US government know that what I'm ordering is from Cuba? Are CC companies providing data to them regarding purchases to said companies?

If customs opens my package and sees 25 unbanded smokes how do they make the determination that what I've ordered was made in Cuba?

What I fear is kinda like what DirecTv did a few years ago. Rather than track down and procescute the people(s) that wrote code for the HU cards (which most were outside the US border) they started suing people that were purchasing the hardware to load the HU cards. While the hardware had other legitimate uses they sued people anyway in the hopes that they would settle.

To me that seems more along the lines of guilty until proven innocent.
I shouldn't have to prove to someone (or some entity) that what I'm purchasing is legal or not. The burden is on them to prove that what I did purchase was illegal.

A perfect example is one of CP's sponsers PuroRey cigars sells both ISOM's and NC's. A simple whois shows they are based in Canada. If I purchase some unbanded smokes from them and get a letter from Customs, how can customs prove that what I ordered was not legal?

As well by no means am I saying that I don't agree with the Embargo (or disagree with it), and I realize that I won't do the crime if I can't do the time.

This all makes sense in my head and hopefully it makes sense on paper. But then again I'm not known for my sense. :D
 
Kind of on topic...

It is still indirect income, but the regional distributor for Habanos SA probably requires payment (wholesale) from a vendor prior to their shipment of cigars. Money is paid in local country currency and then is paid for by us in US dollars to a retailer who has already paid the distributor - so our funds are to the retailer and not Habanos SA.

(BS argument, but give me something to not make me feel guilty)
 
This is a political move to appease the ex-patriates in Miami. Mid-term elections are in less that 4 weeks and the politicians are out humping for votes. This will have no effect on your Habanos purchases, unless you are a Cuban-American who plans to travel south and pick them up in person.
 
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