black market Cuban Cigars!!

[Tom Smedley]

A rich friend of mine says that he pays $350 a box and only smokes them while playing golf. I brought back a few at a time when I went out of the country and found that the difference between them and the Dominican Republic cigars is not enough to get caught. Some so called cigar affectionados really think that they are too strong for their tastes. Now Havana Club rum - that is another story - so smooth - so good.

 

[Scuba-Jay]

I bet the FBI are already watching this thread!

NOO KIM stop PMing me trying to sell me bags of heroine!!!! I said no!!

 

[PaulChristenson]

http://cigars.about.com/od/cubantradeembargo/qt/0062002a.htm

 

[JessH]

btw, i'm not sure how legal selling Cuban cigars in the US is ... i know you are only allowed a few (maybe two boxes) when you re-enter the US

and i think it's ok to buy them online too

If you get a permit from the US Gov to spend money in Cuba and are traveling there then you can bring back $100 of Cuban products (cigars included). These permits are extremely difficult to get. It is illegal for a US citizen to buy any cuban products under any other circumstances. This included buying cuban cigars and smoking them while outside of the US. Under no circumstances is it legal to buy cuban products(cigars) in a 3rd country(like mexico) and bring them into the US.

~Jess

 

[Kim]

NOO KIM stop PMing me trying to sell me bags of heroine!!!! I said no!!

You know you want it! :14:

 

[Scuba-Jay]

You know you want it! :14:

Aww gees alright just stick in here in this vein....!!!

Jess thanks I'm aware of the legalities. I'm looking for market values pure and simple (=

 

[ams511]

There was an ad a saw in skymall for someone selling Cuban cigars. It was legal because the tobacco was pre-Castro. You may want to see what they sell for. There is no better smoke than Swisher Sweets. lol

 

[shakeybrainsurgeon]

I think there are a lot of counterfeit Cubans out there...I bought a box of Cohibas in Grand Cayman for about 500 and they were average at best, not at all like the Cuban Cohibas I had in Aruba and half as good as red dot cohibas from DR available here.

Beware!

 

[HowardE]

I think there are a lot of counterfeit Cubans out there...I bought a box of Cohibas in Grand Cayman for about 500 and they were average at best, not at all like the Cuban Cohibas I had in Aruba and half as good as red dot cohibas from DR available here.

Beware!

The counterfeit cohibas (the most popular one to counterfeit) are fairly easy to spot. Real Cohibas have a raised seal on the label, with the letters (COHIBA) in gold (and raised print - embossed)

If you're buying a box - it should have a seal from Cuba (saying "product of Cuba") keeping the box sealed closed. Cigars from the DR, or Honduras also have seals on the boxes stating the country of origin.

If you buy less popular cuban brands, you're probably getting the real thing every time. Bolivar, H Upmann, etc...

 

[HowardE]

As JessH said - it is legal to purchase cigars in Cuba, IF you are actually in Cuba with proper permission from the US Govt, and you are allowed to spend money there as well. The limit is 1 box per person (I don't know about the $100 thing).

Therefore, posession of Cuban cigars themselves is not a crime in the U.S.

Otherwise, under no other circumstances is it legal to bring any cuban cigars back into the U.S. with you. You are not allowed to buy ANY at a duty free shop in any other country, and return to the U.S. with them. Regardless of what they tell you in the duty free shops... it is not legal to bring even 1 back with you.

Prohibitions on Cuban Cigars

The revival of interest in cigars and cigar smoking underscores the need to remind the public of the prohibitions that have been in place for many years with respect to cigars of Cuban origin. The number of attempted importations of Cuban cigars into the United States is rising and because dealing in such cigars may lead to Treasury enforcement actions, the public should be aware of — and make every effort to observe — the prohibitions which are in effect.

There is a total ban on the importation into the United States of Cuban-origin cigars and other Cuban-origin tobacco products. This prohibition extends to such products acquired in Cuba, irrespective of whether a traveler is licensed by Office of Foreign Asset Controls (OFAC) to engage in Cuba travel-related transactions, and to such products acquired in third countries by any U.S. Traveler, including purchases at duty-free shops. Contrary to what many people may believe, it is illegal for travelers to bring into the United States Cuban cigars acquired in third countries, such as Canada, United Kingdom, or Mexico.


Importation of Cuban-origin cigars and other Cuban-origin tobacco products is prohibited whether the goods are purchased by the importer or given to the importer as a gift. Similarly, the import ban extends to Cuban-origin cigars and other Cuban-origin tobacco products offered for sale over the Internet or through a catalog.


It is also illegal for U.S. persons to buy, sell, trade, or otherwise engage in transactions involving illegally-imported Cuban cigars. The penalties for doing so include, in addition to confiscation of the cigars, civil fines of up to $55,000 per violation and in appropriate cases, criminal prosecution which may result in higher fines and/or imprisonment.


These prohibitions are applicable to all goods of Cuban origin and are an important element of the comprehensive program of economic sanctions against the Cuban Government which have been in place since 1963. Those sanctions have had the support of the last seven Administrations.


The U.S. Treasury Department, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), administers the embargo of Cuba. Suspected embargo violations may be reported telephonically to OFAC Enforcement Division at (202) 622-2430 or via facsimile at (202) 622-1657.