We were asked to contribute to an article in the Times, Money section. The article is about how to keep your tobacco, cigarettes and alcohol when bought in the EU and then have to run the gauntlet of the UKBA. All in all, it's quite a good article and if you're a subscriber to the online version of the Times you'll be able to read it. Unfortunately, we are not and only have the dead tree version but once our scanner stops sulking we'll put it up (if it carries on sulking we'll visit friends who have one).
Right click and open in new window. You can then zoom in. Or use this direct link http://www.day-tripper.net/assets/docs/111126Times.pdf h/t David again.
This was our full comment before Laura cut it.
" The issue is not the “guidelines” but whether your goods are for a “commercial purpose”. Regardless of guidelines, you can legally purchase as much as you like for your own personal use (including gifts). There is no such thing as “limits” or “allowances” when shopping within the EU.
Coming Shortly ... Exclusive!
We are in the process of editing a complete video and audio of an actual stop, search andinterview interrogation by the UKBA involving 20,000+ cigarettes. This video is not like the stage managed garbage on programmes such as UK Border Force. This video shows everything as it really is (and what the UKBA don't want you to know) and how the 20,000+ cigarettes went home with their rightful owners ... and NOT confiscated by the UKBA!
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| h/t David http://www.day-tripper.net/ |
This was our full comment before Laura cut it.
" The issue is not the “guidelines” but whether your goods are for a “commercial purpose”. Regardless of guidelines, you can legally purchase as much as you like for your own personal use (including gifts). There is no such thing as “limits” or “allowances” when shopping within the EU.
If you are stopped, do not be evasive about the quantity you have purchased. Anything which UKBA choose to view as deceit, no matter how trivial, will be taken as an attempt at smuggling. Your goods will then be confiscated. Tell the truth about how many times you’ve traveled abroad in the last 12 months, who you are traveling with and so on. UKBA ask you these questions because they invariably already know the answers and are inviting you to “lie”.
Because UKBA use Civil Law and not Criminal, we advise very strongly that you record the entire interview on your phone/camera etc, as is your right (UKBA operational manual). Finally, do not sign the UKBA officer’s notebook under any circumstances."
Coming Shortly ... Exclusive!
We are in the process of editing a complete video and audio of an actual stop, search and
