i do live in germany, and when my brothers from the states come over, they stock up on cubans. somtimes he asks me to send him. he also does this when they go to mexico. is what they do is just remove all labels from the cigars and put them in a different box, or anything else that dosnt have anything to do with cuba. he has not problem with doing this, and he has also sent a few to himself from here, and has also had no problems. it all depends on if your friend wants to risk it or not.
asdf
Cuba is not nearly as bad as China as far as human rights go, yet we trade with them no problem.
Cuba is not nearly as bad as China as far as human rights go, yet we trade with them no problem.
Many Americans buy their ISOM sticks from a Hongkong based website! Ain't that grand...$20+ per stick...probably half to help prop up Castro and the other half into the Chicom coffers. Personally I will wait for Castro's demise, meanwhile I am enjoying reasonably priced, in my opinion undervalued non-ISOM's. I do think ISOM's are supreme...but 10 to 20 times better than my usual sticks? Not in my opinion.
OK...rant off...I know...my shoes are probably made by the Chicoms.
OK...rant off...I know...my shoes are probably made by the Chicoms.
sho said:
This is true. But please bear (sp?) in mind that it's on the person bringing them in that they have to prove that there are not Cuban. Customs agent does not have to prove it's not Cuban. They can confiscate them even if they are bandless on assumption (sp?) that they are Cuban. And unfortunetly there is nothing you/we can do about it.
The US Customs folks, who now are under the Homeland Security umbrella, are one of the only agencies able to do warrantless search and seizure. They ask if they can look at your bag, but this is faux courtesy and to look at your demeanor if you refuse. They can certainly confiscate the cigars, banded or not, and do not have to prove anything - you can dispute them, but it is a process that goes on while your cigars dry out in a holding cage somewhere - just follow the smoke.
If the embargo gets lifted, the novelty effect will prop up prices for a little while, but eventually cigar buffs in the know will realize that the consistency of cubans has suffered, and that there are some pretty decent alternatives out there right now. Production will have to go up, and quality will likely go down. Many cubans are still among the best, but I glad to say that some US available cigars give them a run for the money. I had some nice ones while in Vancouver last year, but paid approx $30CDN each, and used them up in Canada. What a shame.
In the past two years, I have heard of three seizures of contraband smokes within the US. A recent one was a raid on a couple of customer humidors in NYC (maybe Club Macanudo, maybe not - no offense meant if I am mistaken on the name of the place). I thought I heard that some other patrons sticks were seized also - sort of "Habano by association". Did anybody hear the same?
If the embargo gets lifted, the novelty effect will prop up prices for a little while, but eventually cigar buffs in the know will realize that the consistency of cubans has suffered, and that there are some pretty decent alternatives out there right now. Production will have to go up, and quality will likely go down. Many cubans are still among the best, but I glad to say that some US available cigars give them a run for the money. I had some nice ones while in Vancouver last year, but paid approx $30CDN each, and used them up in Canada. What a shame.
In the past two years, I have heard of three seizures of contraband smokes within the US. A recent one was a raid on a couple of customer humidors in NYC (maybe Club Macanudo, maybe not - no offense meant if I am mistaken on the name of the place). I thought I heard that some other patrons sticks were seized also - sort of "Habano by association". Did anybody hear the same?
Wow whoever wrote the last post is right on the money in my book. There are other great smokes out there.
As for seizers. I had a shipment from switzerland get seized in NY last year. Two boxes of limitada. I might as well have flushed eight 100.00 bills down the toilet.
As for seizers. I had a shipment from switzerland get seized in NY last year. Two boxes of limitada. I might as well have flushed eight 100.00 bills down the toilet.
Sgunner:
There are 1000's of seizures every year in the USA, but that pales in comparison to the estimated 4 mill sticks smuggled in each year.
Customer humidors at the Manhattan 'Racquet and Tennis Club' were raided as well as the Manhattan restaurant 'Patroon'.
Mac:
Some online suppliers including the popular Hong Kong site gaurantee delivery.
There are 1000's of seizures every year in the USA, but that pales in comparison to the estimated 4 mill sticks smuggled in each year.
Customer humidors at the Manhattan 'Racquet and Tennis Club' were raided as well as the Manhattan restaurant 'Patroon'.
Mac:
Some online suppliers including the popular Hong Kong site gaurantee delivery.
FG:
I was just referring to the local Northeast area ones that made the news - I know from an acquaintance who wound up in US Customs that there are always many seizures of Cuban contraband brewing. I don't think they really care about the "under the radar" stuff so much, but rather the connections who have a constant flow of illegal business.
Thanks for the names of the NYC sites that were raided. I believe the one I heard the most about was Patroon, with a bunch of executives being identified as regular customers for the Cubans. Some had enough pull, or cooperated to get charges dropped. Now Patroon seems to be a so-so reviewed restaurant.
I was just referring to the local Northeast area ones that made the news - I know from an acquaintance who wound up in US Customs that there are always many seizures of Cuban contraband brewing. I don't think they really care about the "under the radar" stuff so much, but rather the connections who have a constant flow of illegal business.
Thanks for the names of the NYC sites that were raided. I believe the one I heard the most about was Patroon, with a bunch of executives being identified as regular customers for the Cubans. Some had enough pull, or cooperated to get charges dropped. Now Patroon seems to be a so-so reviewed restaurant.
Can someone please put the link to that Hong Kong site that guarantees delivery? I'm trying to get my mentor his favorite cigars - punch maduro's.
He will flip a **** if I can get my hands on the cuban ones
He will flip a **** if I can get my hands on the cuban ones
If you can help it go for a shop outside of hong kong. Asia typically gets second allocation while spain and europe get first from habanos.