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Not declaring at the border

post #1 of 13
8/6/09 at 3:36am
Thread Starter 
So... I'm thinking of making a big Jcrew trip from Toronto to Niagara (and spend the day there sightseeing) on the US side. If I cut the tags from the clothes and put it in my small suitcase, it should be fine right?
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post #2 of 13
8/6/09 at 7:13am
The law requires you to declare what you purchase overseas.

I'd also imagine that border control has bigger fish to fry. That said, if they do an "extra check" they'll open your bags, go through everything and ask you lots of questions about your trip.
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post #3 of 13
8/6/09 at 4:51pm
I usually cut most tags wear some of the new stuff, and declare an amount below the duty limit, I've never had a problem.
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post #4 of 13
8/6/09 at 5:06pm
If you are caught at the border with undeclared goods you will quickly make your way onto their blacklist, along with being slapped a very hefty fee that will easily negate all the savings you made across the border. Clothes I find though are the easiest to sneak over, just wear as many of them as you can (initially cross the border just wearing a t-shirt) and put the rest in your suitcase as "travelling items". Usually if the value declared is low (under $150 or so) they just wave you across anyway. However, I've had friends get caught sneaking over larger electronics and car parts... stupid, really.
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post #5 of 13
8/6/09 at 5:13pm
This reminded me of the time a friend of mine had a custom ordered Martin acoustic guitar (OM-35). His plan was to order it from a retailer in Nazareth, PA and smuggle it into Canada by removing all non-essential packaging. For custom orders, Martin requires that they be done through retail stores and the factory does not deal with orders directly. When he got to the border the customs agents were questioning the guitar and were even considering confiscating it from them.

Within that whole ordeal my friend's mother started crying out of fear of losing the guitar and thousands of dollars. Eventually the customs officers decided to let them go through without charging duties.
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post #6 of 13
8/6/09 at 5:27pm
Just declare below the amount, or suck it up and pay the tax. You're saving money by buying in the US anyway.
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post #7 of 13
8/6/09 at 7:01pm
Fill a bag with old clothes before you leave. Remove some items and put the new stuff in, after the cutting the tags, on the other side. If you get quizzed, it's old stuff for Goodwill that made it into the car but haven't made it out yet. Clothes has got to be the easiest stuff to get across. Booze and smokes, harder. Have had friends busted for carrying shit in their spare tires.
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post #8 of 13
8/6/09 at 7:06pm
When I go to London I know I'm gonna buy a bunch of clothes within the first day or two so I just bring with me 1 or 2 shirts, 1 jumper, 1 denim, 1 pair socks....the only thing I bring in quantity is briefs. So when I come back it looks like I only brought enough clothes for my trip and didnt buy anything.
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post #9 of 13
8/6/09 at 7:09pm
you guys dont have to do all that when crossing the border at canada. just buy alot of stuff tshirts , jeans etc and they ask you , i say i bought these. they really dont care. they let me through without anything.
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post #10 of 13
8/6/09 at 7:09pm
Take off the tags and put them in your suitcase like everything else?

lol @ "blacklisted". Probably 500k + people a day fail to declare at borders around the US.
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post #11 of 13
8/7/09 at 10:15am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ZackyBoy View Post
Take off the tags and put them in your suitcase like everything else?

lol @ "blacklisted". Probably 500k + people a day fail to declare at borders around the US.

I think he meant if you get caught

Quote:
Originally Posted by sho'nuff View Post
you guys dont have to do all that when crossing the border at canada. just buy alot of stuff tshirts , jeans etc and they ask you , i say i bought these. they really dont care. they let me through without anything.


I do it all the time. Christ, how much are you planning on buying? I just ran over to windsor the other day and grabbed some clothes, 'did you buy anything?' 'yeah, just a shirt and a pair of shoes' They dont care. They are looking for way bigger ticket items than a new pair of jcrew flip flops....
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post #12 of 13
8/7/09 at 12:25pm
Live dangerously :P
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post #13 of 13
8/10/09 at 8:18pm
Just declare up to $800 worth of stuff
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