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Alm
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2745
Registered: 5-10-2011
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| Quote: | Originally posted by captkw
some folks are just "sheeple" and do what anyone tells them !!!! |
So far "anyone" has told them to either declare or not. Which is surely what they should do, - i.e. declare or not.
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DavidE
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3814
Registered: 12-1-2003
Location: Baja California México
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Mood: 'At home we demand facts and get them. In Mexico one subsists on rumor and never demands anything.' Charles Flandrau,
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This all sounds funny as hell until you read the law. If you do not declare...
They can detain the vehicle at the port of entry and every item in it. Confiscated.
They will legally under the law ASSIGN A VALUE to items they consider to be taxable
The FINE is three times the TOTAL ASSIGNED VALUE of what they decide is taxable but undeclared.
You pay the fine at Banjercito or lose your car
Upon payment of the fine you get your motor vehicle and contents back
But you LOSE the undeclared items.
This is what Aduana can legally do under Mexican law. Yes they have done it. Seize a vehicle and everything in it. Americans and Canadians as well as
Mexicans have learned this the hard way.
This is what Aduana CAN DO AND IT IS LEGAL. Just because they decide not to do it in most cases is because they don't want the hassle of outrage,
indignant tourists, answering to the screeching telephone calls to everyone include the governor, the president of Mexico and the tourism board.
So personally I don't press it. It would take the perfect storm of meeting a customs man who just got caught cheating on his old lady, or kicked out
of the little love nest versus an indignant (and possibly abusive) tourist to set this process in motion.
Go into the Aduana office and discuss the laws with a customs officer. See if you can catch anything at all incorrect about what I stated above. The
process, the confiscation, the fine, the payment, anything...
"¡Buenas dias, señor! ¿Como estas?"
A Lot To See And A Lot To Do
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MICK
Nomad
Posts: 499
Registered: 11-12-2003
Location: Rio Hardy
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Mood: livin the good life on the river
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In Thirty years of coming here I have never heard of this happening to anyone. ( losing there car)There are many laws just like the US they no one
follows or knows about.
I do come across the border about twice a month. many times bringng things down. If I have something new Big and expensive I would think about
declaring it. An old welder or sprayer they would not care less. I agree with KW why wave a red flag
Drive thru and enjoy Baja
Mick
Getting there is ALL the fun!
Ok being here is fun to
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grace59
Senior Nomad
Posts: 614
Registered: 9-14-2004
Location: San Felipe, Baja, Mexico
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I have heard of this happening in one instance...when the people were bringing in a large, flat screen tv that they did not declare...car was
confiscated etc. It cost a lot to get things set back in order.
We have always saved receipts and declared when bringing in new things over the allowed rate. We just don't know how to go about bringing in things
that we have owned for a long time. We just can't try to hope for the green light as we will be bringing things across on a small flat bed
trailer...can't really hide that.
I am going to show my husband all of your responses and let him decide how to best show (or not) value of his welder etc.
Thanks for all of the replies. I always love reading all the differing views.
Whenever I hear that rainy, chill wind blow. I think it may be time to head for Mexico. Tengo que obedecer mi corazon!
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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You would really have to pee them off for them to take away your vehicle. Much more than just not declaring a TV.
Then again....I wasn't there.
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DavidE
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3814
Registered: 12-1-2003
Location: Baja California México
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Mood: 'At home we demand facts and get them. In Mexico one subsists on rumor and never demands anything.' Charles Flandrau,
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One of the few times I agree with US State Dept about Mexico. I have taken the time, read the SHCP SAT libro de reglas, and talked the the Jefes at
ADUANA.
I agree wholeheartedly -- vehicles seizures are not common. But almost all that I have heard about were the result of not declaring and then being
argumentative and impolite to the aduanero. I have learned the hard way the following...
I have an item let's say is worth a thousand dollars...
If I didn't declare it and got red lighted or waved over to the side, I can expect to pay a hundred dollars duty minimum to Banjercito, AFTER a lot of
polite pardon me's, and polite negotiation
OR
If I pull into the declaration lane, and smile, greet and shake hands, a polite discussion would reveal a duty of perhaps ten dollars. Ninety percent
of the time, they just wave me on.
They do not want to see anything new. You have to remember that Mexican citizens get irate as hell when they see foreigners pass through customs when
they themselves get nailed. They put pressure on Aduana to be fair. So off come the stickers and the cellophane wrap, the instruction books get
hidden. My battery chargers and tools have my name on them. I label mark all electronics with my name and address. This seems to take a lot of the
steam out of the negotiation on the part of Aduana.
Myself I am not going to risk my car, period. Or a whopping fine. They have you by the short hairs when you get caught red-handed. To me, it just
isn't worth it. Not when the alternative is a couple of minutes and a polite conversation. Three folks in a brand new Suburban were stuck in
secondary, Americans. In the back were parts for their sailboat motor, propeller, and depth sounder and single side band radio. All of it new. The
vehicle, a thirty thousand dollar pull trailer and contents had been seized. Aduana did not want me approaching the vehicle so the woman came to me.
Her husband was frantically trying to come up with twelve thousand dollars in cash to get their car and trailer returned. This is a bitter lesson. It
sure left a lasting impression on me.
Oh yeah. The cut and paste from the US State Dept website. The quotation marks are mine.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Personal Effects: Tourists are allowed to bring in their personal effects duty-free. According to customs regulations, in addition to clothing,
personal effects may include one camera, one video cassette player, one personal computer, one CD player, 5 DVDs, 20 music CDs or audiocassettes, 12
rolls of unused film, and one cellular phone. Any tourist carrying such items, even if duty-free, should enter the "Merchandise to Declare" lane at
the first customs checkpoint. Travelers should be prepared to pay any assessed duty on items in excess of these allowances. Failure to declare
personal effects may result in the seizure of the items as contraband, plus the seizure of any vehicle in which the goods were transported for
attempted smuggling. Recovery of the seized vehicle may involve payment of substantial fines and attorney's fees. See also the “Firearms Penalties”
section below regarding Mexico’s strict laws and penalties regarding import of firearms or ammunition."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Long long day on the road tomorrow.
[Edited on 11-4-2012 by DavidE]
A Lot To See And A Lot To Do
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monoloco
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6667
Registered: 7-13-2009
Location: Pescadero BCS
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We crossed at Tecate yesterday morning, I pulled into the declare lane and gave the aduana girl receipts for about $1500 worth of stuff, she asked to
look in the back of the truck, which was stuffed, she didn't make me open anything or examine the merchandise that I declared. We went in the office
and she did the paperwork, I ended up paying 2000 pesos. The whole thing took about 15 minutes. Very easy.
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Alm
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2745
Registered: 5-10-2011
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David... Yes, it's better not try pushing your luck. Declare verbally, tell what you think it's worth if they ask, show receipts or Ebay printout if
needed per situation. Smile, say Hi. Probably "Como esta Usted" rather than "Como estas". Not to teach anybody - I'm still learning this language,
darn difficult at this age.
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captkw
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3850
Registered: 10-19-2010
Location: el charro b.c.s.
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Mood: new dog/missing the old 1
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OK Folks The ? was ?
Lets answer the ladys question !!! no... on a old welding unit you would want not to declare to the aduana !!! some folks around here think with maybe
say 20 crossings.. that they know a whole bunch about mex/baja and there are few that know the ropes !! The only thing that is consistant in mex
is thats its not !!!! tell you what ! dont declare the welder and if you get fined " with a receipt..I will gladly pay your fine " a bunch of newbies
telling you there opinion...unless you car/truck is full of new to sell stuff and you dont have a clue on mexican culture and langauge you can have a
problem!! with what your crossing with you will have a safe passage throuh the border !!! and its nice to smile,be respectful and not in a rush !!!
ANY further ?'s on such matter feel free to u2u me...K&T ....GEEZ !!!
[Edited on 11-5-2012 by captkw]
[Edited on 11-5-2012 by captkw]
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MICK
Nomad
Posts: 499
Registered: 11-12-2003
Location: Rio Hardy
Member Is Offline
Mood: livin the good life on the river
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AMEN
Getting there is ALL the fun!
Ok being here is fun to
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nbacc
Senior Nomad
Posts: 770
Registered: 12-27-2008
Location: Northern California
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We went through with a truckload of used things for our. house............really, as I bought everything off Craig's list or it came from our house in
the states. Very little was new. We pulled into the declare area and told him we had no idea what it was worth but it was all used. He asked to see
and we opened up the truck and then we negoiated until we both though it was about right, paid it....then we were off and running. Around 1/2 an
hour,
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gnukid
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4411
Registered: 7-2-2006
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Go loaded up with crap - if they pull you into inspection say yeah check it out it's crap worth absolutely zero that's why I am bringing it to mexico
- jaja buen dia y adios
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jeans
Super Nomad
Posts: 1059
Registered: 9-16-2002
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Mood: Encantada
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Two years ago I brought a large used flat screen TV down to give to my parents and pulled into secondary voluntarily to declare it. They were totally
un-interested in it, but asked if I was bringing in old clothes.
Mom always told me to be different - Now she says...Not THAT different
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Terry28
Senior Nomad
Posts: 825
Registered: 8-25-2007
Location: S.Calif mtns.
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Mood: Thirsty
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You have to remember DavidE is an expert on EVERYTHING...just ask him!!
another scare story......
Mexico!! Where two can live as cheaply as one.....but it costs twice as much.....
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QUETZALCOATL
Nomad
Posts: 118
Registered: 8-1-2012
Location: coming from or going to Baja
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Mood: nublado
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I pass over the border all the time with my wife-oh not that kind of "older equipment".
in otin ihuan in tonalin nican tzonquica-Aztec saying for \"here ends the roads and the days\"
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QUETZALCOATL
Nomad
Posts: 118
Registered: 8-1-2012
Location: coming from or going to Baja
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Mood: nublado
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Seriously tho when I brought down my jacuzzi we got stopped at San Ysidro they opened a special gate for us and we went back to the US. So we went to
Otey and went right through but please keep in mind my wife is Mexican and was driving.
in otin ihuan in tonalin nican tzonquica-Aztec saying for \"here ends the roads and the days\"
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captkw
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3850
Registered: 10-19-2010
Location: el charro b.c.s.
Member Is Offline
Mood: new dog/missing the old 1
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That can get you sleeping on the porch !!
| Quote: | Originally posted by QUETZALCOATL
I pass over the border all the time with my wife-oh not that kind of "older equipment". |
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DavidE
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3814
Registered: 12-1-2003
Location: Baja California México
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Mood: 'At home we demand facts and get them. In Mexico one subsists on rumor and never demands anything.' Charles Flandrau,
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Unless I have a lot of brand-new stuff secondary shines-it-on. But they are on the lookout for PC (desktop) computers, lots of old clothes (that seem
obviously inappropriate), bulk chemicals, tires, or large flat panel televisions. It's a free life. To secondary or not is up to the individual.
A Lot To See And A Lot To Do
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Alm
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2745
Registered: 5-10-2011
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| Quote: | | Originally posted by DavidEBut they are on the lookout for PC (desktop) computers, lots of old clothes (that seem obviously inappropriate),
bulk chemicals, tires, or large flat panel televisions. |
In other words, something that is either used for business (old clothes can be had for free NOB so you can make money on it), or attracts high taxes
(laptops and big TVs). I wonder about tires - must be either additional tax and/or environmental restrictions, like on big batteries.
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Alm
I wonder about tires - must be either additional tax and/or environmental restrictions, like on big batteries. |
Unmounted tires, even used, are on the sht list They won't let you cross with them.
Race teams are given the dispensation.
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