Bogie107

I will visit my daughter next month in Germany. I need to find out what the customs regulations are transporting chili peppers into Germany. if I am not allowed to bring chilies into the country raw would I be allowed if they were cooked? She says they are limited and cant find Poblanos, or Anaheim's in the Vilseck area and would like me to bring some.

BigRuss

Check EU customs regulations. Go googling. Expect to be unable to transport raw veggies. If your daughter wanted to do the same thing coming to the US (assuming), the ICE officers would dump her whole cargo.

And tell her to seek out online purveyors of those goods. Fact is, Netherlands grows a LOT of peppers and both Spain and Turkey are in the top 5 in the world.

StCirq

I highly doubt you can bring raw vegetables into any European country, but can't she grow them? Peppers are easy to grow, and seeds are widely available all over Europe.

Or go to a Turkish market.

PalenQ

I've never been checked in a zillion times at Continental customs - don't ask don't tell - you fill out no landing cards for Germany do you - so if caught by rare chance just feign innocence - no big deal. But yes anything you can get in the States you should be able to find in Germany - I'd just pack em and chance it - it's not a huge deal like drugs!

bilboburgler

Bogie, are you likely to be profiled, if so do the research, if not wing it.

PalenQ

Do they have food sniffing dogs in German immigration zones?

I got caught with a carrot once in Detroit by a food-sniffing mut - I was eating the carrot so as to not have to take it thru Customs and the dogie plumped his snout on my day pack on the ground - they found nothing in it but that was where I had had my carrot.

I doubt these days they are using dogs for that as they have much more pressing uses for the canine sleuths.

Christina

Personally, I think it will be okay as I think Germany only bans potatoes and mushrooms and vines or wine leaves (as well as meat, dairy and stuff like that, but within the vegetable family I think it will be okay).

I would be surprised if a Turkish grocery store had something like a raw poblano peppers as the pepper they use is different. Poblanos are mild and similar to green peppers, stuffed for chile rellenos, right? But if she just wants some dried hot peppers, then yes, a Turkish market could have something she might like. Although not sure there would be a lot around that military base, there might be one in Munich or Nurnberg. if she's in the military, I imagine she can't grow her own garden and since they are native to Puebla, Mexico, the climate in SE Germany may not work, anyway.

PalenQ

They can only confiscate them - can't see any reason not to pack em. Has anyone ever heard of Germans searching an ordinary obvious American traveler's luggage thoroughly upon landing?

mountain out of mole hills! A few hot peppers and as Christina says not banned according to her knowledge which is usually spot on IME.

NewbE

Poblanos and Anaheims and any number of other peppers typical in California and the American southwest are most certainly not "available all over Europe".

I would google and then take a chance, personally. If they take them you can plead ignorance.

StCirq

http://www.pepperseeds.eu

NewbE

And not everyone is a subsistence farmer, lol.

PalenQ

http://www.toytowngermany.com/forum/...chili-peppers/

sparkchaser

<i>But yes anything you can get in the States you should be able to find in Germany</i>

I wish this was true but over five years of living there told me this was not true (unless you are friends with someone in the armed forces stationed there).

Ackislander

I have no idea whether you as an individual can bring peppers into Germany legally (companies have certificates), but I am frankly appalled that so many of you would openly and deliberately flout laws that are in place to protect agriculture from foreign pests, bacteria, and viruses that can destroy a country's economy.

What do you do when you go to California or Hawaii? Both have significant restrictions to prevent the infection of crops. Oh, well, la did da, that doesn't apply to me, surely.

PalenQ

What do airlines do with discarded veggies from meal trays in Germany - disinfect them upon arrival? curious - I rather agree with Ackislander on this if peppers were really a threat to any other crop - best check if Germany bans those types of peppers or not and then act accordingly and honor the ban if any.

Dukey1

unless you are friends with someone in the armed forces stationed there

which makes me wonder about anyone who lives in Vilsek.

sparkchaser

<i>which makes me wonder about anyone who lives in Vilsek</i>



I had a friend stationed there and on weekends he'd go to Nuremburg and hang out at The King's Arms pub. On Sundays he would swing by and we'd fire up the grill and hang out. He'd occasionally bring us certain goods from the commissary (American-style breakfast sausage, thick cut bacon, Hebrew National hot dogs, etc.). It was a good arrangement.

northie

palenQ- why would you suggest that people flout the law and then lie. If countries have a ban it's for a very good reason.
Confiscated vegetables, other prohibited items , left over airline food is destroyed in special incinerators in Australia and New Zealand . I guess other countries do the same.
Ignorance or lying should not excuse breaking the law- people are often fined for lying in this area . Dogs are also used for sniffing out banned food .

Odin

https://www.zoll.de/EN/Private-indiv...feed_node.html

You should find the info you want on this websie. Food imports are permitted except for some restricted items which peppers are not.

And yes, dogs can be used for sniffing out prohibited food.

PalenQ

palenQ- why would you suggest that people flout the law and then lie.>

read my retraction of that - you are right.