sancho
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Odd Mex Customs Liquor Enforcement
This is PROBABLY a rogue enforcement of some Mex Customs
Officer, but the way I read it, you are suppose to declare
any liquor you bring into Mex, from the San Felipe site:
A very unfortunate situation arose last week in which a party of visitors traveling in a single vehicle stopped to buy duty-free liquor in Calexico to
bring to San Felipe. The understanding was that a maximum of 3 bottles per person was allowed into Mexico. On crossing the border, Mexican customs
confiscated all of the bottles; a loss to the visitors of hundreds of dollars. I checked with the San Felipe Tourist Office and they say that the
regulations have been changed. Their belief is that the limit is now 1 bottle per vehicle. We are going to check with customs to see what the policy
is. In the meantime, I would advise visitors not to bring more than they can afford to lose. It is also important to realize that customs officers are
now incorruptible. No bribes are tolerated and cameras watch every interaction between the officers and the traveling public. It seems to me that the
duty-free shops in Calexico should alert customers to any new regulations though I realize that doing so will severely cut their sales.
Update: Mexican Aduana (customs) say that the duty-free limit is still 3 liters/person but they must be declared. Excess is charged duty at the rate
of 239% of retail value. If you have trouble, dial 078 for Tourist Assistance in Mexicali - your mobile has to be on the Mexican system for this
number to work.
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Dave
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When a regular LOL just isn't good enough
| Quote: | Originally posted by sancho
It is also important to realize that customs officers are now incorruptible. |
How come Nomads doesn't have a smiley for:
Rolling On The Floor Laughing My A$$ Off?
I could use 20 right about now.
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Riom
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Do residents of the border area (rather than tourists) get any alcohol duty-free limit at all? According to the rules (in Spanish) they do NOT, but I could be misreading or misunderstanding it.
So perhaps the 3 liter limit only applies to real tourists, and presenting an FM-3 makes you a resident, subject to the rules in the link above?
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DENNIS
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Riom
Do residents of the border area (rather than tourists) get any alcohol duty-free limit at all? According to the rules (in Spanish) they do NOT, but I could be misreading or misunderstanding it.
So perhaps the 3 liter limit only applies to real tourists, and presenting an FM-3 makes you a resident, subject to the rules in the link above?
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No special dispensation for anybody. I wasn't even aware that the number was as high as three litres. I thought it was one. Isn't it the same
traveling north?
UETA in San Ysidro will, or would, tell customers of the limit at the moment of purchase. What they don't want is upset customers.
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Dave
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The Booze Bus
| Quote: | Originally posted by DENNIS
UETA in San Ysidro will, or would, tell customers of the limit at the moment of purchase. What they don't want is upset customers.
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They used to run a bus from the Rosarito Beach Hotel. $5 or free if you bought stuff and came back. They told us that we could bring back as much as
we could find room for and they were SERIOUS. We'd load up cases and cases. I guess they paid off the Aduana guys cause they'd come aboard see all
this stuff and just roll their eyes. Really funny. Only lasted maybe six months but it was great.
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Riom
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DENNIS
No special dispensation for anybody. I wasn't even aware that the number was as high as three litres. |
For tourists, the limit is three litres (see item 11 of the tourist duty free limits in English).
Does the same limit apply to border residents? It's not clear, since the $150 limit for border zone residents excludes alcohol (and the page on border zone resident limits then goes on to itemize the taxes on alcohol).
Rob
[Edited on 2011-10-28 by Riom]
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fdt
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Mood: Yeah, what if it all goes right
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If they were residents no alcohol is alowed.
A well informed Baja California traveler is a smart Baja California traveler!
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Riom
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| Quote: | Originally posted by fdt
If they were residents no alcohol is alowed. |
Thanks, that's what I thought the Aduana site was stating.
So, if you show your FM-3: no duty-free alcohol.
That's maybe what happened in the case Tony described (the text Sancho posted at the beginning of this thread came from Tony Coleraine's news at http://www.sanfelipe.com.mx/news/index.html ).
Rob
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krafty
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Wow-did not know we were sposed to declare coming in-in 10 years we have never done so, and noone has ever asked.
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