Would pirated dvds purchased in China pass through customs if we put them into a separate case and throw away the packaging? Or should we mail them home from China to save ourselves a headache? Thanks everyone for any info!

We had the same exact worries when we went back in May! Our plan was to do the same thing...throw away the packaging and put the DVD's in our CD cases and hide them throughout our luggage. I guess technically you're not supposed to bring them back because Customs will stop you for it. But when we went through Customs, it wasn't a problem at all! But I'm sure this is pretty much a hit and miss thing as to whether or not they'll check your luggage. I've talked to people that bring back DVD's all the time and have never had a problem.

Forgot to add....we also thought about mailing our DVD's home. I don't see how you could get caught doing that, right? But we ended up bringing them back with us instead.

Bottom line is you just take a chance by bringing back DVD's, but I've never heard of anyone getting stopped at Customs for it. I'm sure a lot could also depend on what city in the U.S. you're returning to. It could also depend on how the Customs' person is feeling that day!

I think the chances of a shipped package being opened and inspected are higher than the chances of your luggage being inspected.

I'm still kicking myself for not bringing home more DVD's. I couldn't believe how cheap they are there! Definitely load up on them if you can!

I am Billy from China. The DVDs are very cheap in China. One my British bought 2 baggages DVD to UK. I don't know how he past the customs, but he successfully did.

For what it's worth, I've lived in Shanghai for 6 years, and my FRIEND brings DVDs back to the states every year for friends and family. Just a few, tucked in luggage. I think the worst that will happen is that they will confiscate them if they find them in your luggage (but I wouldn't bring a whole suitcase of them back, either).

On the flip side, there is an American currently serving 2 years in a Chinese prison because he set up a business selling pirated DVDs through E-bay into the states! (I don't think they are out to make examples of people with a few dozen in their suitcases, however.)

For both mailing and check-in luggage, there is chance to be opened for inspection. But if you carry only a dozen of DVD (rather than over 30-40), you can claim for your own use rather than for sale. It will usually be accepted by the custom. Throw away the packaging is also a good idea to support your claim that they are for your own use.

I regularly sell stuff (non pirated) on eBay if I'm posting from the UK to the states i'm now told to complete customs declaration paperwork for US customs. I've been told (how true it is I don't know) that without this relatively straightforward paperwork my mail is subject to destruction! If this is true it would seem customs are taking a keen interest in packages going in!

hmmmm...how cheap are we speaking here? I'm not going to China but to Hong Kong in September and buying DVD's preferbally Hong Kong DVD's is part of my agenda. Thanks!

About $ each. So my friend says.

Sorry, that's $1. Didn't mean to be THAT cryptic.

We found DVD's for as cheap as 60 cents USD!! And the quality is perfect!! Definitely stock up on them if you can! BUT, we didn't see any cheap DVD's in HK. But maybe we didn't look in all the right places. Maybe someone else here can comment as to whether they exist in HK. We bought all of ours in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guilin. The most we paid was about $2 USD.

Don't forget to ask the seller if it's a good copy (some are "real" DVDs - screening copies & decoded released DVDs, others are bad copies). Most will tell you honestly, particularly if you ask if you can bring them back if they aren't good (not that you will, but it's a common practice for people who live in those cities, so they are used to it and are more likely to tell you the truth).