I ordered a load of cigars from the States a couple of weeks ago. I was using an auction site that is part of the Famous Smoke Shop. After confirming CC details and shipping costs my cigars were on the way. Something I neglected to take into consideration was Customs. It had never crossed my mind and after doing a bit of research I started to get worried.
According to the Revenue import rules I was allowed to receive 10 cigars without any added taxes. I had 29 cigars on the way. On the excess there are 3 duties.
1. Excise Duty: This is charged at €271.337 per Kilo of Cigars
2. VAT: This is charged at 21% on the value of the goods including any other taxes
3. Customs Duty: This is charged at 2.5% on the total of everything including P&P.
(4.) An Post also add a flat rate of €6 on any goods charged at customs.
Needless to say, as I was 19 cigars over the limit, I was worried. What started off as a good deal may end up costing me a lot of money.
I had been out drinking on Monday night (more of that in the next post) so when I got a call from a blocked number the next morning I was not rushing to answer the phone. Bad mistake. It was the post man with my cigars and I missed him.
Many hours later, still not feeling the best, the search was on for my cigars. Long story short they were shipped around Dublin all day and ended up in Kilbarrack which is not close to me. I eventually got them today(another story for the next post). I arrived at the depot, cash in hand, fearing the worst, and to my surprise there was no extra charge.
Customs had opened the parcel, inspected what was inside, resealed it and sent it on its way with no extra charge. I always said that they were a good bunch.
I wont be using the aforementioned site again for a while. My passion is cigars but primarily Cuban. I now have plenty of non-Cubans to test out but I don't think I will ever prefer one over a Cuban Puro. I do intend to order more cigars of a different site but this time from a country within the EU. I already have my eye on a box of Partagas Culebras. It will be a while yet though, I have a lot of Cigars to smoke and not much room in my humidors.
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| Parcel |
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| Non-Cuban Humidor |
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| It Barely Closed |
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| Cubans and Non-Cubans |
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