Hmrc - Duty Free Allowances

[Blackpool Jags]

Just back yesterday from a week in Bulgaria - great place btw. Thing is - and I'm not a smoker - got chatting to a couple in the hotel who ended up on the same flight back as us. He and his wife are both heavy smokers: him roll-ups and her fags.

 

We had been having a wee chat over a pint in the hotel about Bulgaria's EU status and whether that would entitle an individual to bring back the normal EU allowance between member states: ie 3,200 fags or 3 kilos of baccy. Myself and another guest checked the HMRC website, dated January 2010, and a PDF link clearly informs you that Bulgaria is an EU member state and therefore entitles you to maximum 'guideline' allowance.

 

Upon learning this the happy couple went out the next day and 'filled their boots'. No problem until home time when we were waiting at the carousel at Manchester airport for the bags to arrive when Mrs Jags pointed to a large notice. It clearly stated the same info as the website BUT pointed out that Bulgaria was among a handful of named recent joiners and that travellers arriving from those countries were only entitled to bring in 200 ciggies or a very small amount of baccy. I felt a need to share this shock news with the couple who instantly appeared to fill their nappies. In the event they weren't stopped by Customs, but surely this sort of mixed official information is going to cost somebody dearly soon and has probably already done so.

 

Sort it out HMRC. People need to know where they stand.

[jaggybunnet]

Just back yesterday from a week in Bulgaria - great place btw. Thing is - and I'm not a smoker - got chatting to a couple in the hotel who ended up on the same flight back as us. He and his wife are both heavy smokers: him roll-ups and her fags.

 

We had been having a wee chat over a pint in the hotel about Bulgaria's EU status and whether that would entitle an individual to bring back the normal EU allowance between member states: ie 3,200 fags or 3 kilos of baccy. Myself and another guest checked the HMRC website, dated January 2010, and a PDF link clearly informs you that Bulgaria is an EU member state and therefore entitles you to maximum 'guideline' allowance.

 

Upon learning this the happy couple went out the next day and 'filled their boots'. No problem until home time when we were waiting at the carousel at Manchester airport for the bags to arrive when Mrs Jags pointed to a large notice. It clearly stated the same info as the website BUT pointed out that Bulgaria was among a handful of named recent joiners and that travellers arriving from those countries were only entitled to bring in 200 ciggies or a very small amount of baccy. I felt a need to share this shock news with the couple who instantly appeared to fill their nappies. In the event they weren't stopped by Customs, but surely this sort of mixed official information is going to cost somebody dearly soon and has probably already done so.

 

Sort it out HMRC. People need to know where they stand.

 

 

Come on Blackpool Jags, thats a bit unfair......HMRC have there staff to think about and its Xmas soon so need to build up there staff bonuses from there bounty

[Jaggernaut]

One thing I've noticed is that customs officers ALWAYS try to speak to you very fast, rapidly firing questions about where you've been, for how long, do you know what the allowances are, what duty-free items you have etc etc. This non-stop prattle is aimed at getting you flustered so that you might inadvertently blurt out something "wrong".

 

My advice: look at him or her very deliberately, and take your time to slowly process every one of their questions. Let them know that you're going to take your own (preferably leisurely) time to respond. For me this has worked every time; (s)he just gives up, and moves on to somebody else who's more likely to be intimidated.

 

Edited to add: I'm comfortable dealing with them this way because I never have anything that I'm not allowed (of course)...

Edited October 3, 2010 by Jaggernaut

[hamiltonjag]

One thing I've noticed is that customs officers ALWAYS try to speak to you very fast, rapidly firing questions about where you've been, for how long, do you know what the allowances are, what duty-free items you have etc etc. This non-stop prattle is aimed at getting you flustered so that you might inadvertently blurt out something "wrong".

 

My advice: look at him or her very deliberately, and take your time to slowly process every one of their questions. Let them know that you're going to take your own (preferably leisurely) time to respond. For me this has worked every time; (s)he just gives up, and moves on to somebody else who's more likely to be intimidated.

 

HMRC Officer: Whatsinthebag? Wherehaveyoubeen? Whereareyougoing?

 

Jaggernaut: ummmmmmmmmmmmm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

hash

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amsterdam

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ummmmmm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hame.

 

 

*huckled*

[yoda-jag]

Come on Blackpool Jags, thats a bit unfair......HMRC have there staff to think about and its Xmas soon so need to build up there staff bonuses from there bounty

 

I'd rather see HMRC concentrating their efforts on the reported £24million that the hunns have apparently dodged/underpaid consistently for years, and the associated fines and interest that would come with, than trying to catch a few people out with a few too many packs of tobacco or ciggies coming back from a weeks holiday.

[Blackpool Jags]

Come on Blackpool Jags, thats a bit unfair......HMRC have there staff to think about and its Xmas soon so need to build up there staff bonuses from there bounty

 

They're state employees, so probably in the coalition's sights for privatisation, maybe saving £3 or £4 a year for the state. But as is alluded to above, their focus should be on huckling massive tax and VAT dodgers such as the dummy runs and their ilk.

[B.C.G. JAG]

When traveling to Oslo, always wear a suit. #

 

I was working there for a brief spell a few years ago and had been given the same advice by some people I really should have believed. So of course, I was the only person on the whole plane wearing jeans. Typically I also had way, way too much booze on me (it is pretty expensive over there) so as I stood out like a sore thumb, I got called over by the Customs guy.

 

They clearly weren't that bothered about the booze and were more interested in trying to intimidate me. As I was being led away, I handed over two bags full of booze to a colleague who promptly walked out with them! I was led into a room with, horror of horrors, a toilet with a plastic seal over the bowel and a box of rubber gloves on the table. They left me in there to sweat for about ten minutes, until the officer came back and demanded I strip. Aff came the jeans, and everything else. At this point I'm checking everywhere for exits for a quick getaway in case the gloves go on. But then, after an uncomfortable pause, he just calmly tells me to get dressed again.

 

When I'm ready, I ask if I can go. The Officer tells me to wait in the room, but he opens the door and keeps watch on something outside. Eventually he beckons me and tells me to come quickly to the door - just so I can witness the last bus for Oslo leaving.

 

And of course, it was RyanAir flight, so it wasn't actually anywhere remotely near Oslo either. I'm not really a big fan of Customs Officials.

[Blackpool Jags]

 

 

 

When I'm ready, I ask if I can go. The Officer tells me to wait in the room, but he opens the door and keeps watch on something outside. Eventually he beckons me and tells me to come quickly to the door - just so I can witness the last bus for Oslo leaving.

 

Looks as if privatisation arrived a few years ago.