Arrival at customs in chicago

[jst]

I have a question about returning from China thru customs. I have purchases several items for gifts. The items I bought for myself I am OK with such as clothes and wall pictures. I also bought several ladies purses such as Prada and Gucci and such. I have 8 total. I am sure they are fakes as the price I paid is cheap but they are perfect fakes. Will I have a problem bringing them thru customs? I also have 8 Mont Blanc pens but I think they are small enough I will not worry about them.

 

Thanks

James

[shadeOgray]

Just tell them your a cross dresser.

I would put them in your checked luggage and not carry on.

I doubt it will be an issue.

Edited February 1, 2009 by shadeOgray (see edit history)

[Finer in China]

I had bought 10 cartons of cheap cigarettes at the Shanghai airport for my brother. When I got to Chicago I forgot I had them in a bag I was carrying with my other stuff and they asked whether I had any things like that and I said no. "Welcome home" they said and waved me along. Hahaha. Later I thought about it. Obviously not a big deal.

[Guest Dylan W]

You are not allowed to bring these items through customs. You are only allowed 2 items that could be "counterfeit" as long as they are to be used as gifts or for yourself. You need to get a copy of the customs manual, they give them out free. You're items will be confiscated if you declare them, and if you don't declare them and got caught, you will face a relatively hefty fine and possible passport revocation, though I don't know the chances of either. I only know that I brought 3 Coach purses for my mom, step-mom, and grandma, and even I didn't declare them, they pulled me aside and had found them and then told me they were not allowed in. After some discussion, they decided to let me slide "this one time" and gave me that manual I mentioned earlier, and told me next time everything would be confiscated.

[Guest Dylan W]

Here's the travel manual I was talking about...

 

http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/newsro...beforeyougo.pdf

 

Trademarked and Copyrighted Articles

 

CBP enforces laws relating to the protection of trademarks

and copyrights. Articles that infringe a federally

registered trademark or copyright or copyright protected

by the Berne Convention for the Protection of

Literary and Artistic Works are subject to detention

and/or seizure. Infringing articles may consist of

articles that use a protected right without the authorization

of the trademark or copyright owner or articles

that copy or simulate a protected right.

 

Articles bearing marks that are counterfeit or inappropriately

using a federally registered trademark are

subject to seizure and forfeiture. The importation of

articles intended for sale or public distribution bearing

counterfeit marks may subject an individual to a civil

fine if the registered trademark has also been recorded

with CBP. Articles bearing marks that are confusingly

similar to a CBP recorded registered trademark, and

restricted gray market articles (goods bearing genuine

marks not intended for U.S. importation for which

CBP granted gray market protection) are subject to

detention and seizure.

 

However, travelers arriving in the United States may

be permitted an exemption and allowed to import

one article of each type, which must accompany the

person, bearing a counterfeit, confusingly similar or

restricted gray market trademark, provided that the

article is for personal use and is not for sale.

 

This exemption may be granted not more than once

every 30 days. The arriving passenger may retain one

article of each type accompanying the person. For

example, an arriving person who has three purses,

whether each bears a different infringing trademark,

or whether all three bear the same infringing

trademark, is permitted only one purse. If the article

imported under the personal exemption provision is

sold within one year after the date of importation, the

article or its value is subject to forfeiture.

 

In regard to copyright infringement, articles that are

determined by CBP to be clearly piratical of a protected

copyright, i.e., unauthorized articles that are

substantially similar to a material protected by a copyright,

are subject to seizure. A personal use exemption

for articles, similar to that described above also

applies to copyrighted articles for the personal, noncommercial

use of the importer and are not for sale or

distribution.

 

You may bring back genuine trademarked and copyrighted

articles (subject to duties). Products subject

to copyright protection most commonly imported

include software on CD-ROMs, sound recordings, toys,

stuffed animals, clothing with cartoon characters,

videotapes, DVDs, music CDs, and books. Products

subject to trademark protection most commonly

imported include handbags and accessories, and clothing.

[Guest Dylan W]

Here's another resource.

 

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation/kbyg/

 

I posted above the lecture I was given, luckily I hit them at lunch shift change so they decided to be nice to me. This is what I was told at least...

[Finer in China]

I also had some shoes, a warmup suit, several shirts, and some hats that were not even sniffed. I guess be cautious though my experience has been they don't really check that close.

[rogerluli]

Thinking they never check is playing russian roulette...They DO randomly inspect people as well as profiling I'm sure... Maybe you can get away with it 100 times in a row... Maybe you can't get away with it once...

[Finer in China]

Thinking they never check is playing russian roulette...They DO randomly inspect people as well as profiling I'm sure... Maybe you can get away with it 100 times in a row... Maybe you can't get away with it once...

I have flown into Chicago. Have you? "Arrival at customs in chicago" is the thread here. Edited February 1, 2009 by oscar (see edit history)

[Sebastian]

The bags are x-Rayed once they're off the plane, prior to you seeing them in baggage claim.

 

Customs in Chicago is only as direct as the agents watching you in the exit line - so when they ask you 'anything to declare?' - you must understand what you have in your bags.

 

There's first, a dollar ceiling on gifts and purchases made in China. Make sure you know what that is.

 

Second, there's a ban on counterfeit goods in effect - Dylan's given you all the skinny about it. Chicago is a major POE, so if the IO's are alert, they will pay attention to everyone coming through, with that magical question of 'anything to declare?' .

 

But - sometimes - a tech in the back room will alert the Customs Boys whilst yer sitting there waiting on yer luggage.

 

IF you had 8 sets of the exact same purse, it will ping a pattern for the techs.

 

Since it's not the same purse, I THINK you'll be ok. Unless, of course, you are pinged for something else, and they search your luggage prior to the exit line.

 

Chicago POE, for me, has been mondo busy, when I come in from Shanghai. But... I'm not you. You're not me. If you get get pinged, you will know exactly WHY yer getting pinged.

 

Good Luck !

Edited February 1, 2009 by Sebastian (see edit history)

[rogerluli]

Thinking they never check is playing russian roulette...They DO randomly inspect people as well as profiling I'm sure... Maybe you can get away with it 100 times in a row... Maybe you can't get away with it once...

I have flown into Chicago. Have you? "Arrival at customs in chicago" is the thread here.

 

5 Times Oscar...How about you???...Born and raised in the Windy City...And if you've never seen anyone's baggage being gone over with the proverbial "fine tooth comb" I wonder if you're pulling our collective chain again...

[IllinoisDave]

Thinking they never check is playing russian roulette...They DO randomly inspect people as well as profiling I'm sure... Maybe you can get away with it 100 times in a row... Maybe you can't get away with it once...

I have flown into Chicago. Have you? "Arrival at customs in chicago" is the thread here.

 

5 Times Oscar...How about you???...Born and raised in the Windy City...And if you've never seen anyone's baggage being gone over with the proverbial "fine tooth comb" I wonder if you're pulling our collective chain again...

I'd say that about covers it.

[Finer in China]

I'd say that about covers it.

I'd say you're talking out your gazoo again "dave"

 

Consider that a few posts I made in this thread were deleted for whoknowswhat reason, removing also the context.

 

"dave" and "luli" plus a few others enjoy this PUTDOWN mode. Don asked for a cooldown so please respect his wishes. Try to restrain yourselves.

[yuehan123]

Here's the travel manual I was talking about... "...This exemption may be granted not more than once every 30 days. The arriving passenger may retain one article of each type accompanying the person. For example, an arriving person who has three purses, whether each bears a different infringing trademark, or whether all three bear the same infringing trademark, is permitted only one purse...."

..Since it's not the same purse, I THINK you'll be ok. ...

The article posted above clearly states that thought is incorrect.

 

And, yes, I've entered thru POE Chicago. Customs is customs, what's the difference? Like they all said 'welcome to take chances' if you want to. Somebody said 'check your purses in your luggage' wtf? Like that makes any difference...

 

Speaking of Chicago, it reminds of Bonnie & Clyde. They never got caught robbing banks, either.

[Batmaniac]

I saw an interesting 5 minute China customs video leaving Macau and entering China that starred Jackie Chan as a cool as ice China customs officer. I found the whole thing sort of funny. The two westerners also starring were getting all nervous and taking off their fake designer sunglasses from their heads and watches from their wrists in the cusoms line. They get pulled and Jackie Chan lectures them that when they buy fake designer products and movies in his country it hurts people in their country. We could argue that point all day and I'd probably ride the fence somewhat, but I thought it was funny that the blame was being put upon the Westerners buying the junk and that it was made to look like an under-paid China customs officer really cares what pirated products leave or enter China.

 

Anyway, I would have absolutely nothing questionable on me if I was entering on a K1 visa or with my fiancee who was. Ying was a little sad I made her give-away a large bootleg movie collection. I wasn't. The majority of it was low-budget direct to DVD junk that had been booted. She has enough movies now of mine that will take her years to get through.