Who here has snuck their Rolex through US Customs?

[ldmarcht]

I just got back from the UAE, I wore a "purchased at home" pepsi bezel GMT II over there and back. On advice, I took along my receipt for the purchase just in case anyone asked. There were no questions, no issues. But I can't imagine anything more risky on a business trip than trying to sneak something by the customs folks!

LM

[mcoccia]

My first rolex was purchased in KL. I too was concerned about customs and declared the watch. At this stage the duties into Australia were a staggering 33%. I complained bitterly and the customs people halved the duty by understating the value of the watch.

Duties in Australia are far now more reasonable being set at 10% and are only payable if the total value of the goods purchased overseas exceeds about 800USD.

In addition on entry into the country we need to sign a form declaring that we have not exceeded the duty free allowance. Therefore I will most likely declare any future watch purchased overseas.

Mountain bikes are a different matter. Most people can't tell the difference between a $200 and $6000 bike.

[cbrenthus]

I tried to sneak a Rolex through customs once. Just once. I thought I had a good hiding place for it, but was busted when I tried to sit down in front of an agent

[gha]

Originally Posted by etp095

i just bought a new sub and i go to europe and return in a week,my sub is still gonna look new.how do i prove to you(customs agent harry callahan)that i bought it in chicago not geneva.

Just pack the receipt with you....gha

[gha]

Originally Posted by GoldenBear

I wore one (actually two) home from Germany, my old and the new one. No problems. As an aside, I knew a guy that brought a bottle of tylenol with codeine back to the US from Canada (it sells over the counter there). He was totally freaked out and acting suspicious. They "busted" him. Basically, brought him in the back to "scare" him. It worked, he almost started crying. They let him keep the aspirin and just asked that he didn't do it again. Just act normal and you'll be fine.

" Get the rubber gloves & flashlight Harry.....We're goin' in !!!!....Yikes !!
Not worth it, unless you happen to enjoy that sort of thing........gha

[blackrhino12]

Bought my TT Sub in Grand Caymen. Wore it back and had the SS Sub I wore over there in my camera bag. No one searched my camera bag and it had 5K worth of camera and lenes not to mention the SS Sub. I declared the TT Sub, some tee shirts and stuff and the bastards hit me w/$355 worth of duty.
Next time I'm gonna smile and wave.

[Ronnie Rolex]

Bought my Platty in Switzerland. Guilty...

[jac67]

Originally Posted by mcoccia

Duties in Australia are far now more reasonable being set at 10% and are only payable if the total value of the goods purchased overseas exceeds about 800USD.

Just a quick correction of terminology.

There are NO customs duties for watches in Australia, only GST @ 10%.


John.

[2careless]

Originally Posted by etp095

i just bought a new sub and i go to europe and return in a week,my sub is still gonna look new.how do i prove to you(customs agent harry callahan)that i bought it in chicago not geneva.

Simple, they hold on to your sub and ask you to go home bring back your receipts to show them before they release the watch. They usually don't like to do this as the officier has to do a lot of paperwork...

[jimbo1mcm]

As you engage your current people you are scanning the line and other lines for people who are either not dressed normally or are acting either too cool or nervous. When you talk to your customer you can pretty easily tell if they are hiding something. One of my favorite tricks was to ask the gentlemen, if a couple were travelling together, for his wallet. I would then open his wallet and find receipts from H.Stern, etc. I would then ask them to produce the item or call for an officer or matron to do a strip search. Searching, even without cause, is allowed on entry into the United States. Flights from high profile islands, like Aruba and Grand Cayman with their high end shops were pretty productive. You can easily tell if a watch has been worn for a week or so by inspecting it for really tiny scratches and dust in the band. There are also tips that customs receives from either dealers or others. You really have to be on a limited budget and have a desire for a thrill to deceive customs. If you do get caught, be contrite and apologize. It will probably reduce your fine.

[JohnEaton]

Originally Posted by cbrenthus

I tried to sneak a Rolex through customs once. Just once. I thought I had a good hiding place for it, but was busted when I tried to sit down in front of an agent

Sounds like a line out of Pulp Fiction... No, not really, that was a prisoner of war camp and they got away with it

[Whiskey]

Originally Posted by jimbo1mcm

As you engage your current people you are scanning the line and other lines for people who are either not dressed normally or are acting either too cool or nervous. When you talk to your customer you can pretty easily tell if they are hiding something. One of my favorite tricks was to ask the gentlemen, if a couple were travelling together, for his wallet. I would then open his wallet and find receipts from H.Stern, etc. I would then ask them to produce the item or call for an officer or matron to do a strip search. Searching, even without cause, is allowed on entry into the United States. Flights from high profile islands, like Aruba and Grand Cayman with their high end shops were pretty productive. You can easily tell if a watch has been worn for a week or so by inspecting it for really tiny scratches and dust in the band. There are also tips that customs receives from either dealers or others. You really have to be on a limited budget and have a desire for a thrill to deceive customs. If you do get caught, be contrite and apologize. It will probably reduce your fine.

From what you just wrote, it sounds to me that you are banking on the person you're asking the questions too, to get nervous and just come clean.

Inspecting how clean/unscratched the conditions of a watch is, is not sufficient enough evidence to determine the watch was bought in the country the person is coming from. The person with the watch could have easily told you (customs) that the watch was purchased back in his/her home country as a "private" and "second-hand" transaction and that no papers came with the watch.

It's then up to Customs to decide if it wants to fill out all sorts of paper-work and then spend the man-hours making phone calls to "whom-ever" and doing research to validify where the watch came from, and even that's not good enough to warrantee paying a fine, or having the watch confiscated.

Customs would have to let you go through.

Just remember to mail the box and warrantee card back separately.

[gha]

If they "suspect" you are attempting to smuggle, as far as I know, the customs dudes can confiscate whatever it is, & your car, if you are driving, and it's up to you to come up with the proof that it was bought in your native country. Any customs agents out there?? Would be good to know the actual skinny.....gha

[tboy]

I will be travelling to Aruba next week on a cruise. Gandelmans is definately on the shopping list!

I'm from the UK - do any of you guys know if I need to pay US tax if I am going to be travelling back home to the UK one day after arriving back in Miami? I've heard the tax can be about 3%, which doesn't sound a lot, but on the Daytona I am looking for it will several hundred dollars and it certainly eats into the saving.

[jac67]

Originally Posted by jimbo1mcm

There are also tips that customs receives from either dealers or others.

Thanks for the post Jim.

What I find really disturbing, is the fact that a DEALER would inform customs.

What, wasn't it enough for him/her to take someones hard earned cash, AND then nail them!

At the end of the day, if you take the risk, then be prepared for the consequences. Not that I have ever done it.


John.

[gha]

I doubt that you will need to pay US Taxes, as you are not a US Citizen, and are leaving the next day.....gha

[Hamilton Carvalho]

Funny when people use the word "Love" to express their satisfaction to hurt, intimidate or just make one feel sad. Like I always say “I don't believe in human love". Love is meant for good but, it is also used to make others feel bad. Wouldn't it be better to use the techniques to catch drug dealers trying to enter the country with illegal drugs?

Originally Posted by jimbo1mcm

I used to be a US Customs Inspector and I would just love, out of pure boredom, catching people who tried to get stuff through without paying. There are many, many techniques and procedures that allow an alert customs inspector to catch people. In addition to paying the duty if you are caught, you are also subject to a hefty fine, up to 6 times the duty. The article could even be confiscated. If you feel lucky, like I used to think, " make my day!!!"

[gha]

As far as I can figure, rules are rules, there to protect us in the long run. If there were no duties, taxes, etc., & you could just go to another country, buy whatever you wanted, and bring it back, do you think there would be an AD with a certified watchmaker sitting in your town or city, employing people, paying taxes to fix your roads & hospitals, waiting for you to walk in to have your Rolex looked at? Doubt it. You would then have to get on a plane & take it back to where you got it, 'cause no jeweler in your hometown is making any $ selling/fixing Rolex's, 'cause everyone is supporting the AD out of country, saving a few bucks. Not a good ending. Buy local if you can, but we shouldn't get "ripped off" doing it.....IMHO....gha

[Hamilton Carvalho]

There is a difference when you do it to follow the rules and when you do it just because you're bored and want to satisfy your love to see others go through a bad experience at customs. IMHO I think this is sick.

Originally Posted by gha

As far as I can figure, rules are rules, there to protect us in the long run. If there were no duties, taxes, etc., & you could just go to another country, buy whatever you wanted, and bring it back, do you think there would be an AD with a certified watchmaker sitting in your town or city, employing people, paying taxes to fix your roads & hospitals, waiting for you to walk in to have your Rolex looked at? Doubt it. You would then have to get on a plane & take it back to where you got it, 'cause no jeweler in your hometown is making any $ selling/fixing Rolex's, 'cause everyone is supporting the AD out of country, saving a few bucks. Not a good ending. Buy local if you can, but we shouldn't get "ripped off" doing it.....IMHO....gha

[Chozn1]

So from what I gather from our resident border agent, they're bored. I'm interested, do you actually own a Rolex?

[Courmayeur1]

With the dollar where it is, and looking to go lower, I can only buy my watches in the USA. I do travel to the EU and usually take two or sometimes three with me. Like JJ I keep them pristine so I suppose I should carry the receipts with me to get them back into the country hassle free.

[Hamilton Carvalho]

I think that's the best way to avoid the bored kids on the block.

Originally Posted by Courmayeur1

With the dollar where it is, and looking to go lower, I can only buy my watches in the USA. I do travel to the EU and usually take two or sometimes three with me. Like JJ I keep them pristine so I suppose I should carry the receipts with me to get them back into the country hassle free.

[Tombstone]

Never bought a Rolex out of the States. The deals in the U.S. seemed to be better than in Europe. I bought an LV Sub in Maui the rest were bought in the mainland.

[Courmayeur1]

Originally Posted by Hamilton Carvalho

I think that's the best way to avoid the bored kids on the block.

Agreed!

[unclesallie]

please stop talking about this stuff in public, it's stupid and dangerous. send one another private emails, but you are talking about United States law..there are civil fines and potential criminal statutes that can be triggered. just drop it. i'm not kidding. there will be no jokes at the port of entry, of that you can be sure.

[unclesallie]

Originally Posted by jimbo1mcm

As you engage your current people you are scanning the line and other lines for people who are either not dressed normally or are acting either too cool or nervous. When you talk to your customer you can pretty easily tell if they are hiding something. One of my favorite tricks was to ask the gentlemen, if a couple were travelling together, for his wallet. I would then open his wallet and find receipts from H.Stern, etc. I would then ask them to produce the item or call for an officer or matron to do a strip search. Searching, even without cause, is allowed on entry into the United States. Flights from high profile islands, like Aruba and Grand Cayman with their high end shops were pretty productive. You can easily tell if a watch has been worn for a week or so by inspecting it for really tiny scratches and dust in the band. There are also tips that customs receives from either dealers or others. You really have to be on a limited budget and have a desire for a thrill to deceive customs. If you do get caught, be contrite and apologize. It will probably reduce your fine.

exactly. another reason to stop talking about this stuff online where the entire world can read it(and see my other post on this thread to same effect)

[unclesallie]

Originally Posted by Hatchet

Is the Customs Department part of the TSA? If so, I'm pretty sure that unless you are carrying a large weapon of some kind out in the open they will never even pay attention to you. Now if you are a 12 year old girl trying to carry some lip gloss in your purse, I'm pretty sure you will get caught every time.

/my daughter really wanted that lip gloss

no..customs is part of homeland security, and they are NOT harmless

[Chozn1]

You can push the back button if you like. This isn't exactly a mecca for border agents. Quit telling others what to do til that name of yours turns red.

[Hamilton Carvalho]

Agreed.

Originally Posted by Chozn1

You can push the back button if you like. This isn't exactly a mecca for border agents. Quit telling others what to do til that name of yours turns red.

[mborkow]

If you do get caught, be contrite and apologize. It will probably reduce your fine

Too true! The last time I got pulled over for speeding the cop asked me how fast I was going. I looked him in the eyes and said at least 80 MPH, and probably a little more. "I have a general rule of thumb," he said, "anyone who tells me the truth I let go with a warning: slow down."
"You really let everyone who tells you the truth go," I blurted out before I could stop myself.
"No one ever tells me the truth. Have a good night, and don't make me pull you over again."