Smuggling!

[Ranchi]

Totally hypothetical & light hearted.
As I understand it, you are allowed you are allowed to bring £300 of merchandise from outside the EU without paying duty. So if I fancy say, an expensive pen when I’m in Gibraltar and it comes to £400 I would be due to pay £17.50 at U.K. customs. My wife’s allowance is not transferable.
If however in a fit of generosity Idecide to buy my wife a gift that costs £600 then I could be due quite a bill...unless they are earrings. Would it be permissible for us each to buy one earring each and import the pair without paying any duty?

Seems like a plan...now those gold cuff links did look rather tempting!

[wolfie]

As long as your passports respectively say, Bluebeard and Van Gogh, no problem

[dorsetlad]

I bought a camera in Gibraltar which was more than £300 in the summer, and never even considered paying any duty. Is Gibraltar not in the EU?

[david63]

One of the problems with buying "duty free" goods and not declaring them is that you may find it difficult, if not impossible, to claim for them on your insurance should the need arise.

Also with electronic/mechanical goods that could go wrong you will probably find that your guarantee is invalid in this country.

Having said that on the one occasion when we did have something to declare it was such hard work trying to find somebody to pay!

[oldbluefox]

In my capacity as an undercover Customs and Excise Officer................................
Apparently Gibraltar is not part of the EU for customs purposes so you can bring in goods up to £390 according to this website.

[Stephen]

Take a chance.

And as David says, half the time there is no bu99er there to check you anyway. And what's the worst that can happen, you have to cough up the duty.

It's only happened to me once, years ago coming back through the airport. Just my luck to get stopped by customs. "Anything to declare sir", no officer. "But what about those earing's and the necklace you brought me" say's Mrs S ....Fortunately it wasn't a great deal of money. Anyway, after she picked herself up..........

As for buying goods abroad. That's the chance you take for saving money over UK prices.

http://www.consumerrightsexpert.co.uk/y ... broad.html

[Ranchi]

Thanks for your comments. I know there are all manner of pitfalls buying abroad regarding warranties & different models to those available in U.K. My ( somewhat trivial) point was really could you spilt a pair of earrings costing £780 so that you were each able to use your allowance and pay no duty ( each importing one earring) whereas a £780 necklace would attract considerable duty as only one of you would be able to import it.

[qbman1]

Ah but, again hypothetically, is only one ear ring worth half the cost of a pair ? Surely there is a marriage value between the two so you could argue that if they cost £780 for the pair, with one missing, the remaining ear ring would have little more than scrap value so you could buy two pairs and each bring one of each pair through customs without exceeding your limit !!

[Manoverboard]

Get receipts reflecting the fact that you each purchased one earing up to the maximum allowance ... easy peasy.

[david63]

Do people actually spend that much on a pair of earrings?

A couple of brass curtain rings only cost a few pence

[Stephen]

BRASS . You're flash. What's wrong with wood.

[qbman1]

I quite fancy one of those wooden watches that are on the market these days

[david63]

BRASS . You're flash. What's wrong with wood.

Apparently, and this is only hearsay, the splinters from them are mighty painful in the ears

[Mervyn and Trish]

The only stuff I bring back is alcohol.

And I make a point of swallowing it and smuggle it back in that way.

[Stephen]

The only stuff I bring back is alcohol.

And I make a point of swallowing it and smuggle it back in that way.

I bet you decanter the filtered excess once home as well for guests

[Mervyn and Trish]

Flog it on the market

[Dancing Queen]

Thanks for your comments. I know there are all manner of pitfalls buying abroad regarding warranties & different models to those available in U.K. My ( somewhat trivial) point was really could you spilt a pair of earrings costing £780 so that you were each able to use your allowance and pay no duty ( each importing one earring) whereas a £780 necklace would attract considerable duty as only one of you would be able to import it.

I have bought lots of jewelry out in the Caribbean including watches and the warranties have always been fine, a very simple solution to avoid duty is to wear them, just make sure any packaging/receipts etc you mail home to yourself no point leaving the evidence there for them to see.

[Stephen]

I have bought lots of jewelry out in the Caribbean including watches and the warranties have always been fine, a very simple solution to avoid duty is to wear them, just make sure any packaging/receipts etc you mail home to yourself no point leaving the evidence there for them to see.

Thank you madam. We'll be in touch.

1200px-Corporate_Logo_for_HM_Customs_and_Excise_svg.png

[Dancing Queen]

Ahhh but I didn't actually say I have done this