lou

Kayd is correct. It is the Dept. of Agriculture, not the Customs Service, that regulates bringing animal and plant products into the U.S. And the restrictions are to prevent non-native plant and animal diseases from entering the U.S. and infecting U.S. agriculture. Here is a USDA web site of travelers tips (bringing in food, but also traveling with pets and other topics): http://www.aphis.usda.gov/travel/

Sue

Years ago, in college, I hauled Dutch tulip bulbs thru 8 countries only to have to throw them away at customs.

Kate

Fun topic...I have never had anything confiscated but at 19 I smuggled in about 40 bottles of Scotch from the UK. I was underage and was so scared that I would get caught. After that experience I decided that I would not do that again. In 97 on my honeymoon I bought all of my crystal and china in Paris (it was less than half so definitely worth it). When I came home I declared what I had carried and ended up paying minimal duty. I found that if I list everything they always seem to be lenient. I can see though the disappointment of coming home with something that you thought would be allright only to have customs seize something. I have witnessed that many times. I can see the need to register things before you leave the US such as cameras etc..Anyway fun thread I would love to hear other peoples stories.

Gavin

My wife was perturbed by losing a small but point object to airport security on a previous trip so the last time she carried a padded envelope and stamps just in case. Well sure enough there was a pair of folding scissors in her purse (that she didn't know about). Out came the envelope and stamps. The security guard agreed to pop it in the mail and it was in the mailbox when we got home.

question

I heard on the news today that a once in a lifetime opportunity to purchase elephant ivory will occur when 3 tons of ivory is sold. Will this be legal to take through customs?

three

Three tons might cost a bit in excess bagage.

George Castanza

Will it fit in the overhead?

JE

Some of these stories remind me of when my neighbors moved from Brazil and bribed movers to move a plant. Weeks later they got a surprise! SPIDERS! We're not talking garden variety spiders common in Virginia either lol pretty scary.

julie

We saw cheese shops in Paris that would vacuum pack your cheese. Could you bring it in this way? One of the major problems I believe is that they don't allow unpasteurised cheese into the US although I don't understand why--if I'm willing to take my chances on eating it, why shouldn't I be allowed to take the risk?

cheryl

Thanks for the info regarding the increase from $400.00 to $ 800.00! Ladies, when you are bringing your Hermes purchases back - kill the boxes and the bright orange bags! The customs agents know what you are carrying and I they got me!!! The agents went through my wallet and examined all my receipts,etc.. It was pretty embarrassing, but a lesson learned!

Lori

The interesting thing is this - when I came home from Rome several years ago there was a woman on the plane with several Italian baquettes in her tote bag - in plain sight. When we landed in Newark the beagle made a bee line for her. The agent and she spoke, and they never took the bread away.

Ira

julie wrote<BR>&gt;One of the major problems I believe is that they don't allow unpasteurised cheese into the US although I don't understand why--if I'm willing to take my chances on eating it, why shouldn't I be allowed to take the risk?&lt;<BR><BR> Because it is not just your own risk. What happens to the rest of us if you contract TB and give it to your neighbors and coworkers?

hee

JE's story about the plant and the spiders is (or is also) a common urban legend. http://www.snopes.com/index.html

Sue

Lori, to my knowledge, there are no prohibitions against bringing in breadstuffs, etc. There is no potential hazard involved there, as there could be with plants, meat products, etc. The beagle was probably trained to sniff out food of any kind.

hugh

Brooke why didn't you just hide the salami?

Maria

At Newark airport they took away a cuticle scissor and an old steak knife (sometimes I buy bread on vacation) and in Aruba the guy took away my apple, just wanted something for dinner, now the airlines give you one veggie buritto. Next time I will be much more careful.

xxxx

You are trying to out fox the custom agents and the agriculture department so you won't have to pay duty or have your items confiscated. Are you the same people that are screaming about the folks that take an extra roll at breakfast for their lunch? If you are the same people, you really have a &quot;whacked&quot; sense of integrity. Or is it that you don't mind cheating the US government, but never some French or other Country hotel.

ah seng

My XXX rated videos I bought from London to the Malaysian customs. They probably went home to beat off on it.

heeheee

heeheee..TB from cheese....

Whatso

heehee, be grateful that you live in a country with hygiene laws that are so effective that you have never heard of most of the ways that TB can be transmitted.<BR><BR>http://www.ifst.org/hottop15.htm