jst Posted February 1, 2009 Report Share Posted February 1, 2009 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. ThanksJames Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadeOgray Posted February 1, 2009 Report Share Posted February 1, 2009 (edited) 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) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finer in China Posted February 1, 2009 Report Share Posted February 1, 2009 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dylan W Posted February 1, 2009 Report Share Posted February 1, 2009 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dylan W Posted February 1, 2009 Report Share Posted February 1, 2009 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 trademarksand copyrights. Articles that infringe a federallyregistered trademark or copyright or copyright protectedby the Berne Convention for the Protection ofLiterary and Artistic Works are subject to detentionand/or seizure. Infringing articles may consist ofarticles that use a protected right without the authorizationof the trademark or copyright owner or articlesthat copy or simulate a protected right. Articles bearing marks that are counterfeit or inappropriatelyusing a federally registered trademark aresubject to seizure and forfeiture. The importation ofarticles intended for sale or public distribution bearingcounterfeit marks may subject an individual to a civilfine if the registered trademark has also been recordedwith CBP. Articles bearing marks that are confusinglysimilar to a CBP recorded registered trademark, andrestricted gray market articles (goods bearing genuinemarks not intended for U.S. importation for whichCBP granted gray market protection) are subject todetention and seizure. However, travelers arriving in the United States maybe permitted an exemption and allowed to importone article of each type, which must accompany theperson, bearing a counterfeit, confusingly similar orrestricted gray market trademark, provided that thearticle is for personal use and is not for sale. This exemption may be granted not more than onceevery 30 days. The arriving passenger may retain onearticle of each type accompanying the person. Forexample, an arriving person who has three purses,whether each bears a different infringing trademark,or whether all three bear the same infringingtrademark, is permitted only one purse. If the articleimported under the personal exemption provision issold within one year after the date of importation, thearticle or its value is subject to forfeiture. In regard to copyright infringement, articles that aredetermined by CBP to be clearly piratical of a protectedcopyright, i.e., unauthorized articles that aresubstantially similar to a material protected by a copyright,are subject to seizure. A personal use exemptionfor articles, similar to that described above alsoapplies to copyrighted articles for the personal, noncommercialuse of the importer and are not for sale ordistribution. You may bring back genuine trademarked and copyrightedarticles (subject to duties). Products subjectto copyright protection most commonly importedinclude software on CD-ROMs, sound recordings, toys,stuffed animals, clothing with cartoon characters,videotapes, DVDs, music CDs, and books. Productssubject to trademark protection most commonlyimported include handbags and accessories, and clothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dylan W Posted February 1, 2009 Report Share Posted February 1, 2009 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... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finer in China Posted February 1, 2009 Report Share Posted February 1, 2009 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogerluli Posted February 1, 2009 Report Share Posted February 1, 2009 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... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finer in China Posted February 1, 2009 Report Share Posted February 1, 2009 (edited) 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) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian Posted February 1, 2009 Report Share Posted February 1, 2009 (edited) 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) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogerluli Posted February 3, 2009 Report Share Posted February 3, 2009 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... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IllinoisDave Posted February 4, 2009 Report Share Posted February 4, 2009 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finer in China Posted February 4, 2009 Report Share Posted February 4, 2009 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yuehan123 Posted February 4, 2009 Report Share Posted February 4, 2009 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmaniac Posted February 4, 2009 Report Share Posted February 4, 2009 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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