sm5w2 Premium Member join:2004-10-13 St Thomas, ON	sm5w2 Premium Member 2012-Dec-18 11:43 am Canada Customs and special deal for 5 cases of beer? I've been hearing 2'nd hand about people crossing into Port Huron just to swing back through the duty free (DFA) to pick up what I understand to be only specific brands of beer, and only a specific quantity (5 cases), because Canada customs has some sort of specific regulation or rule for this particular combination, and you pay (in total - beer + duties) $125. "Tall boys not allowed". The slogan seems to be "5 for 125". Does anyone know anything about this?
	actions · 2012-Dec-18 11:43 am ·
zirG join:2012-12-18 Ridgeway, ON	zirG Member 2012-Dec-18 12:20 pm Well, it's not unusual to find a deal on 5 cases for $15/ea or less at any duty free. Duty & Tax runs around $11, so yes, you can probably get 5 cases for $125. As far as any sort of "deal" with CBSA or there being any brand-specific regulation - not a chance.
	actions · 2012-Dec-18 12:20 pm ·
Gone Premium Member join:2011-01-24 Fort Erie, ON	Gone Premium Member 2012-Dec-18 1:16 pm said by zirG: As far as any sort of "deal" with CBSA or there being any brand-specific regulation - not a chance. You'd be surprised. It depends on the mood of the people involved, but it's not unheard of to see five cases of beer turn into three as far as taxes payable goes, or $400 worth of goods turn into $250 for HST. You'll never find this on paper, and can never say anything about it else you'll get the most glaring dirty look you've ever seen in your life, but it happens.
	actions · 2012-Dec-18 1:16 pm ·
zirG join:2012-12-18 Ridgeway, ON	zirG to sm5w2 Member 2012-Dec-18 2:43 pm to sm5w2 No, I'm not surprised at all by anything you said. But there still isn't any "deal" with CBSA or any brand-specific regulation.
	actions · 2012-Dec-18 2:43 pm ·
Gone Premium Member join:2011-01-24 Fort Erie, ON	Gone Premium Member 2012-Dec-18 3:52 pm Exactly. It's all luck of the draw... ... to which, one time I told the CBSA guy at the booth at the Rainbow that I had beer and he immediately asked what kind. I replied that he may not have heard of it, and that it was Yuengling from New York. He then smiled, said he sure has heard of it, that it was good and for me to "enjoy my beer" and sent me on my way. So, sometimes there is a deal as far as brand goes
	actions · 2012-Dec-18 3:52 pm ·
zirG join:2012-12-18 Ridgeway, ON	zirG to sm5w2 Member 2012-Dec-18 4:24 pm to sm5w2 I'd let the Yuengling go up the road too. But if you had said: Bud Lite Lime, you're gonna pay.
	actions · 2012-Dec-18 4:24 pm ·
Gone Premium Member join:2011-01-24 Fort Erie, ON	Gone Premium Member 2012-Dec-18 5:01 pm Hahaha, I dunno, my wife may take the opposite view if you pulled up at the Peace Bridge.
	actions · 2012-Dec-18 5:01 pm ·
Guspaz Guspaz MVM join:2001-11-05 Montreal, QC	Guspaz to sm5w2 MVM 2012-Dec-18 5:51 pm to sm5w2 You're normally allowed to bring back 24 bottles of beer (one case) without paying duties, so it's likely that the "5 for 125". Beer has no tariff associated with it, so only HST would apply at Port Huron. It seems to me that this isn't a special deal involving Canada Customs, they're just pricing the two fours at the right point so it ends up at $125. For example, price your cases at $22.64, and taking into account that you'll only pay HST on four of the five cases, it comes out to $124.97 after you pay at the border.
	actions · 2012-Dec-18 5:51 pm ·
Gone Premium Member join:2011-01-24 Fort Erie, ON	Gone Premium Member 2012-Dec-18 6:48 pm said by Guspaz: You're normally allowed to bring back 24 bottles of beer (one case) without paying duties Not on a day trip or part of a 24 hour exemption. There is no alcohol exemption until you're out of the country for at least 48 hours. The total exemption at 48 hours 1.5L of wine, 1.14L of hard liquor or 8.5L of beer. This is a combined amount, not each. If you're waved through with alcohol on a day trip, they're doing it because they're in a good mood, not because it's required. To quote my wife, if they do that "you're damn lucky and better say thank you to the officer."
	actions · 2012-Dec-18 6:48 pm ·
Guspaz Guspaz MVM join:2001-11-05 Montreal, QC	Guspaz to sm5w2 MVM 2012-Dec-18 8:27 pm to sm5w2 Fine, then they probably just did a deal where if you buy 5 cases, they'll sell them to you for $110.62, which will come out to exactly $125 after the border. It's not an amazing deal or anything, the before-tax price is in line with what you'd expect to pay for beer anyhow.
	actions · 2012-Dec-18 8:27 pm ·
FaxCap join:2002-05-25 Surrey, BC	FaxCap to Gone Member 2012-Dec-18 8:30 pm to Gone said by Gone: Not on a day trip or part of a 24 hour exemption. There is no alcohol exemption until you're out of the country for at least 48 hours. The total exemption at 48 hours 1.5L of wine, 1.14L of hard liquor or 8.5L of beer. This is a combined amount, not each. If you're waved through with alcohol on a day trip, they're doing it because they're in a good mood, not because it's required. To quote my wife, if they do that "you're damn lucky and better say thank you to the officer." My sister-in-law shops across the border 5-6 times a month and brings back a bottle of wine every time. She has yet to be asked to pay duty on it. We all know what the "book" says but they rarely seem to bother with the dollar value or the wine/beer. I think it comes down to having an officer inside do all the paperwork on a $9.89 bottle of wine. She is right up front with them about the wine and has it there to show them. They seem to appreciate it. I know when I come back from the mail drop I have paperwork and the items in the passenger seat for them to see. FaxCap
	actions · 2012-Dec-18 8:30 pm ·
mr weather Premium Member join:2002-02-27 Mississauga, ON	mr weather to sm5w2 Premium Member 2012-Dec-18 8:51 pm to sm5w2 Back in the mid-1990's in Windsor there was a beer bus that would make a run for the duty free on the Detroit side of the bridge, allow you to buy five cases of American beer and return home for something like 40% less than what it would cost you at the Beer Store. And that was including paying the duty and taxes. I used it once when I was hosting a birthday party for my dad (summer, hot weather, thirsty guests!)
	actions · 2012-Dec-18 8:51 pm ·
Gone Premium Member join:2011-01-24 Fort Erie, ON	Gone to FaxCap Premium Member 2012-Dec-18 9:28 pm to FaxCap said by FaxCap: I think it comes down to having an officer inside do all the paperwork on a $9.89 bottle of wine. Exactly, and it is for that same reason that you probably won't be sent in for anything less than $100 because it's not worth it to send you in to pay no more than $13 worth of HST... ... but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen. People have been sent in for $15, a whopping $1.95 in revenue for the government!
	actions · 2012-Dec-18 9:28 pm ·
urbanriot Premium Member join:2004-10-18 Canada	urbanriot Premium Member 2012-Dec-18 10:11 pm The lowest amount I was sent in for was $35. The highest I was able to get by without paying was $350 or so... I bought a new jacket and decided to pass through just before the evening shift change, lucked out and hit a young dude who let me head through unhindered.
	actions · 2012-Dec-18 10:11 pm ·

FaxCap join:2002-05-25 Surrey, BC	FaxCap Member 2012-Dec-18 10:57 pm said by urbanriot: The highest I was able to get by without paying was $350 or so I went through last week with 2 items totaling $285....he didn't even blink. FaxCap
	actions · 2012-Dec-18 10:57 pm ·
Gone Premium Member join:2011-01-24 Fort Erie, ON	Gone to urbanriot Premium Member 2012-Dec-18 11:02 pm to urbanriot said by urbanriot: The lowest amount I was sent in for was $35. How old was she?
	actions · 2012-Dec-18 11:02 pm ·

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