BajaNomad

Bringing alcohol back

jodiego - 7-8-2008 at 08:35 AM

What are the limits each person is allowed to bring back across the border? I'm thinking about tequila and wine, maybe some beer. Just read the post regarding a store near Popotla that has a huge selection of Tequila. How are prices compared to San Diego for various higher end Tequila's? Any recommendations for stores (TJ, Rosarito, Ensenada, Tecate) with the best prices and any recommendations for a good Tequila? Thanks.

woody with a view - 7-8-2008 at 08:43 AM

1 liter of alchohol.

3-12 ounce bottles of beer.

BTW, 2 weeks ago i brought back a case of ballenas ans the inspector either didn't see it or didn't care. it was in plain site among all my camping gear.

Info

bajaguy - 7-8-2008 at 08:43 AM

http://www.ttb.gov/importers/personal_importation.shtml

shari - 7-8-2008 at 08:50 AM

When I was young and foolish (as opposed to old and foolish now), I once filled my 5 gallon water jug with tequila there in Tequila and was thinking...yeah man...margaritas for a whole year for all my amigos in Canada! It worked perfectly crossing both borders....but when I got home...I found out I was PREGNANT!!!!! Geeze Louise...so everyone else sure enjoyed all that smooth tequila!!

Sneaking

MrBillM - 7-8-2008 at 09:01 AM

Years ago, I drove down with a friend in his old Ford Pickup. It was Winter and Christmas was coming up. His wife wanted a bunch of those mini-botttles of whiskey, etc to give away as presents. We bought as many as we could roundup and unscrewed the metal door panels on the truck to fill up the doors with bottles.

Arriving at the border point, I reached to roll down the window only to realize it was jammed by the booze. Thinking quickly, I opened the door to greet the agent with a smile. Thankfully, he didn't think it odd that I would do so on a COLD Winter's night and waved us on our way.

It would have been difficult to explain as an innocent error.

oldlady - 7-8-2008 at 09:20 AM

MrBillM? A sneak? Who'd a thunk it?

But, in answer to one of your questions, jodiego, my current favorite is Tequila Correlejo. I believe food, wine (don't care for Dom Perignon at all) is a very personal thing, and others here may be far more expert on the agave nectar than I (but I am diligently working on that).
One recommedation is to try as many as you can and hope you remember which you liked the best.

wilderone - 7-8-2008 at 09:35 AM

There is a notable liquor store in Ensenada (stop in at Adalberto Mellon's gallery in the Central de Artes on the main drag in Ensenada and ask what the name of it is and directions.) Anyway, he must have 200 kinds of tequila - some costing $300+. The difference between San Diego tequila and some that you can get in Ensenada and elsewhere - even the CaliMax stores - is the selection. You simply won't find them in San Diego. When returning from a camping trip and I stop at the winery, I put a bottle inside my rolled up sleeping bag; one bottle in my clothes duffle, one bottle in the grocery box, and one bottle to declare. They sometimes will look in the cooler and ask to open a sack in plain view, but they're not that invasive.

Brave? or foolish??

thebajarunner - 7-8-2008 at 10:15 AM

How much can you bring back?
Well, guess that depends on how much you want to pay the piper.
Hey, we all fudge a little,
but I know the law says anything over a liter (into California) is illegal.
Easiest sanction, they just grab the bottles,
but, they used to have a $25 per item fine for undeclared.
That adds up quick when you start counting bottles of Pacifico.
Also, note the attached article - last weekend someone lost their Sentri pass over this.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/07072008_4...

Mango - 7-8-2008 at 11:06 AM

I did a little research regarding going into Arizona vs. Californiia.. and still have not found a good answer.

But... according to the CA Alcoholic Beverage Control they say you can bring in up to 60 liters for personal use by "aircraft" or steamship"

http://www.abc.ca.gov/permits/importing.html

Anyone have any experience or comment on this? And how cheap do you think I can get good used steamship? :lol:

Sneaking through Custom's?

Lee - 7-8-2008 at 11:42 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by wilderone
...... I put a bottle inside my rolled up sleeping bag; one bottle in my clothes duffle, one bottle in the grocery box, and one bottle to declare. They sometimes will look in the cooler and ask to open a sack in plain view, but they're not that invasive.


Guess 3 bottles over ''limit'' isn't that big a deal.

I'm wondering how Custom's would ''view'' a bottle ''hidden'' inside a sleeping bag, and if the search continued, a bottle ''hidden'' inside a clothes duffle, and then others?

Wouldn't do this, personally.

Von - 7-8-2008 at 11:52 AM

Why dont we worry about the drugs instead guys tequila like soda anyways....

woody with a view - 7-8-2008 at 12:02 PM

Quote:

they used to have a $25 per item fine for undeclared. That adds up quick when you start counting bottles of Pacifico.


i think i said to the anything to declare question, "just some leftover beer we didn't get to.":saint:

WHY ?

MrBillM - 7-8-2008 at 12:08 PM

It's the TAX Money, of course.

The same reason that cigarette imports are limited.

Speaking of fines, I once had the unfortunate experience of being fined for a Case of Beer that was found on inspection. Because I had irritated the border officials, they went the whole route. I sat on a bench under detention while they ran the various criminal checks, had to pour each beer into the sink and then there was the fine. Initially, I had thought that the agent said the fine was $2.00 per ounce. When I repeated it back, he said "no, no. Two CENTS per ounce." Not much, but over two hours getting pushed around late at night because of a wisecrack.

That was the last time I ever talked back to an agent.

Debra - 7-8-2008 at 01:28 PM

Wasn't even questioned this last crossing. I always tell the truth when asked. On more than one occasion, I told them I was over of course) and was asked if I was headed back to Wash. (my plates) and said yes. each time I was told to remember "next time" that only one liter per person is allowed. Kids included, go fiqure? :lol:

msteve1014 - 7-8-2008 at 04:38 PM

I always do like Woody, "just a few leftover beers"= 24 liters of pacifico. some day they will get my bottles, and the deposit.

Bob and Susan - 7-8-2008 at 06:08 PM

this is "ABSOLootLY" the best tequila:spingrin::spingrin:

$50 usa in the states

[Edited on 7-9-2008 by Bob and Susan]

teq.jpg - 40kB

greybaby - 7-8-2008 at 10:04 PM

We were recently in Canada and went wine tasting. We were concerned about how much wine we could bring back to the US. We were told the limit was 2 liters per person and after that you pay a duty of $.21/liter. We declared 8 bottles of wine and one beer and they didn't even blink. One wine dealer told us he brought back cases of wine and they didn't want to mess with the paperwork, just let him go through.

rpleger - 7-8-2008 at 10:40 PM

How much can you bring back into Mexico?

Same answer, I guess??

thebajarunner - 7-9-2008 at 08:08 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by rpleger
How much can you bring back into Mexico?



Seems like the answers given so far are,
"Sneak in as much as you want, no one cares"
Well, like Mr. Bill, I too have had to stand at the sink and pour, and pour, and pour.

Oh well, as I used to tell my tax class students at the university, "You can deduct your dog as a dependent- as long as you don't get audited."

Southbound, our annual Spring trip, each guy has to bring one case of wine, enough beer to get to a cervezeria, and some bring miscellaneous bottles of liquor.

Oso - 7-9-2008 at 08:35 AM

If you are not a CA resident and are entering the state presumably en route to your home state, you may bring in more than 1 liter by declaring and paying the tax. The problem is that the Customs agents are often unsure of just what the import duty is. AZ is 1 liter regardless of residency. Each state has its own rule. I once thought a six pack of beer should be ok. Wrong. I had a sixer of Nochebuena. The guy said I could keep 4, pour two out or turn around, go back to Mexico and drink them. I thought it was a sacrilege to pour out Nochebuena and offered to just give him two if he would take them home and enjoy them. No dice. The line was too long to go back, so into the sink they went. I almost cried.

The best booze smuggling story I've heard is probably apochryphal (sp?) but supposedly two UCLA students bought several gallons of tequila (not reposada) and poured them into several dozen small jars in boxes. Into each jar they placed a small plastic spider, worm or bug from a toy store and concocted a story about collecting specimens for the biology lab.

One more comment

thebajarunner - 7-9-2008 at 08:54 AM

"The Sink"

Obviously many of you have never had the occasion to visit "the sink" on a hot Sunday afternoon.

You can smell it from a dozen paces, and it graciously and gratefully gobbles up all sorts of libations, with a sneer on its face, it seems.

So, just keep on wrapping those bottles in the sleeping bags, under the seats, etc., some day (if you are lucky) you too will visit "the sink"

And, if you are not lucky, well, you will visit the cashiers window and start peeling off bills, probably quite a few, as a matter of fact.

wilderone - 7-9-2008 at 08:59 AM

I once looked into the cost of duty on alcohol when planning a Baja Winery bus trip. I found that the duty is dependent on the amount of sugar in the alcohol, i.e, beer, wine, spirits, liquours - loosly in that order - the duty increases. The border agents do not know all the laws. I found that out when bringing back a bunch of art pottery. There is no duty on art if it is of Mexican origin. The customs agents did not have a clue. However, I had the regulations printed out myself and showed it to them. They conferred in the office and let me through - to secondary - so they could unwrap each one, set it out on a narrow ledge in the wind - they assured me the Department would reimburse me for any pot that fell and broke!! - ignoramuses - so they could look for drugs inside. After 1/2 hour of them picking up the pots and talking about them, I told them they were unduly delaying me against my will without cause in violation of my civil rights, and they better hurry it up. They did. So you think I care about a couple bottles of smuggled wine?

David K - 7-9-2008 at 09:10 AM

At Mexicali/ Calexico, some years ago heading north... I was asked if I had any products from Mexico to declare... I said no. Then the agent noticed one Mexican brand beer in my ice chest... one purchased in the US that had the English lable, etc. The agent argued with me about it being a 'Mexican' beer and even though it was under the 3 beer limit, he opened it and poured it into the sink... saying that was because I didn't declare it!

So, your Ameican liquor/ beer that comes back home with you... do you declare it and risk having it dumped if over the 1 litre limit? Do you need to say anything if it was not purchased in Mexico during your trip?

Martyman - 7-9-2008 at 11:46 AM

During my recent trip to Italy I brought back 12 bottles of excellent Italian wine in the bottom of a duffel bag (Styrofoam packing boxes). My bags got lost by the airlines and didn't make it home with me. I was sweating a little because I paid some good money for the wine. It ended up getting delivered to my house and not one bottle broken!! Who knows if it is legal?? You have to take chances in life or things get boring.

I usually just bring back one bottle of tequila from Mexico (and it is not Cuervo)

bajagrouper - 7-9-2008 at 12:17 PM

I just retired for the San Francisco International Airport and had many friends who worked customs, immigration, and other homeland sec. branches. the way the custom supervisors explained bringing back liquor into the USA was: if a Calif. res. enters Calif. by land there is a 1 liter allowance, if you enter by ship or airline (a common carrier) you can bring back what you can carry (usually up to 12 liters) at a time...hope this helps..

Skipjack Joe - 7-9-2008 at 01:59 PM

When I was in junior high my buddy's older sister told us she had just returned from TJ with her friend with a bottle of whiskey. At the border crossing her friend had pushed it up under her dress and between her legs figuring it was safe there.

All we could say was: ewwwwwwe!

David K - 7-9-2008 at 03:49 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by morgaine7
Are some of you really saying that going into the US they make you pour over-limit alcohol down the sink? Geez, that's what they do in places like Jeddah! :O
One would expect the US to be less crass and wasteful, since the stuff isn't illegal there. Why couldn't they sell it off and use the proceeds for taxes, or to help finance anti-drug operations or something? What am I missing here?

Kate


It's a government operation Kate... there need not be any common sense or courtesy! Who wants the government to run health care???:lol::o:O

There's a sink right next to where one drives up... and that's where the booze goes!