Bringing Cuban cigars back from Mexico? (Nogales: transfer, to buy, legal)

[tom4416]

I know all our federal politicians get their Cuban cigars in diplomatic pouches but for us commoners, Mexico seems to be the only close source. I know they are a prohibited item but when we came back from a cruise that stopped in Mexico, the customs officer looked right at my box of Cuban cigars and just smiled and said enjoy them. This was about four years ago.

Is the border at Nogales tolerant of this at all? Will they let you through with just a box, a couple in your pocket or will they put the cuffs on you? Or do they just confiscate the contraband and then sell them to their friends . Could you ship the cigars from Mexico?

If you can't tell, I think the whole ban on Cuban cigars is rather silly since I know for a fact that many, many Cuban smokes are being consumed on Capital Hill and they really do come in via diplomatic pouch on a regular basis.

[corydon]

Try hiding the box with cigars in a bale mariuhana, that seems to cross the border unnoticed....

Never smoked one, are they really that much tastier?

[tom4416]

In reality, the Dominicans have been rolling cigars equivalent to the Cubans for a long time now, it's more the panache of offering good friends JW Blue and a fine Cuban and having something that others don't. I probably smoke one cigar a week, don't have the whole walk-in humidor thing going but I do really enjoy that one cigar (former cigarette smoker). Thought it would be kind of cool to have a humidor full of them and be able to tell the story of how I bravely smuggled them across the border. I however am a complete wimp and would break down under any questioning by the border patrol I was hoping that will all the other serious stuff going on at the borders, that they weren't spending a lot of time scrutinizing a box of cigars.

Someone mentioned that it's easy to buy empty cigar boxes in Mexico and transfer the Cubans to a legal box and seal it up. Somehow I suspect the patrol is a little more adept at that but also thinking as long as you didn't flaunt it, they would look the other way.

Although I know others have recommended against it, feel like I have to make at least one pilgrimage to Nogales just so I can say I did. I've been told there are many legitimate shops selling cigars right after the border and that I could also pick up some medicine our dog is on for quite a bit less than the US so figured it was worth risking life and limb at least once.

My other alternative is to go visit the place my in-laws own in Puerto Penasco as then I would have my car and understand the bordering crossing there is a little less strict than Nogales. Plus supposedly a little safer and more low-key than Nogales.

[gomexico]

If observed, the Immigration/Customs officers will confiscate the cigars ... crossing back into the USA from Mexico.