Duty Free from Non-EU destination

Publin

Hi,

Sorry if this has been asked before, I tried the search function and the first few pages of the forum but couldn't find anything.

I'm wondering does anyone know how strict customs are in Dublin airport? I'm coming back from outside the EU and was going to buy two bottles of spirits in the duty free, and possibly bring in one or two in check-in baggage (presents).

I know this is above the limits of 1 litre of "strong" spirits or 2 litres of liqueurs etc. (http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/travel-and-recreation/travel-to-ireland/customs_regulations_for_travellers), but I'm curious does anyone know how rigidly this is enforced?

I'd imagine a lot of people bring back a few litres but was just wondering has anyone on here been stopped for this and how likely is it to be searched?

Thanks .

murphaph

Assuming you "forget" to walk through the Green Channel and just go through the blue channel, you're extremely unlikely to be pulled aside IMO. It depends what you look like tbh (they tend not to pull well dressed people in suits, for example). Often however there is simply nobody watching the blue channel :rolleyes:

schemingbohemia

They aren't as stupid as you may think. The non-EU flights have their baggage deliberately sent to carousel 5 which is closest to the customs point. They will see you coming from that carousel and going through the blue channel and I would think are more likely to stop you than if you just go through the green channel.
I came back from Oz via Abu Dhabi and they pulled in a few people in the green channel.

Publin

Thanks for the replies folks. Last time I went through, they seemed to have made changes since Easter and have new exits you have to go through (after going through the blue/green channel that is).

Was just wondering how strict they'd be if you had an extra bottle over the official limit, or if they'd be bothered charging you whatever small amount of duty/VAT is due. I'm more worried about the time and hassle of it, but I already bought the booze in the duty free in Dublin on the way out so it's either leave it behind or chance it...

Thanks for the info.

schemingbohemia

They'd probably give you the option of paying the duty or confiscating it, if they find it they don't really have an option to do nothing having taken you out.
If you have any laptops or ipods or stuff like that they could ask where/when you bought them and you could have to prove you didn't buy them abroad.

dearg lady

I'm confused, if you have soem in your checked in baggage then surely this would have been purchased before reaching the airport, duty paid?

Publin

Thanks schemingbohemia, I've no iPods, laptops (except the work one) or anything else apart from the suits and clothes I brought and a few books, standard stuff.

dearg lady wrote: »

I'm confused, if you have soem in your checked in baggage then surely this would have been purchased before reaching the airport, duty paid?

Sorry, I probably didn't write it very clearly. I bought 2 bottles of booze in Dublin airport, duty free, on the way out. I was considering picking up a further bottle or two as presents coming back through Norwegian duty free. That would be a total of 3 or 4 litres duty free coming back (2 of which would be in checked-in baggage). So I was wondering the likelihood of being stopped and if so, how much hassle it is? - as I might be in a bit of a hurry when I land back in Dublin! Hope that makes a bit more sense now.

Thanks.

dearg lady

Publin wrote: »

Thanks schemingbohemia, I've no iPods, laptops (except the work one) or anything else apart from the suits and clothes I brought and a few books, standard stuff.



Sorry, I probably didn't write it very clearly. I bought 2 bottles of booze in Dublin airport, duty free, on the way out. I was considering picking up a further bottle or two as presents coming back through Norwegian duty free. That would be a total of 3 or 4 litres duty free coming back (2 of which would be in checked-in baggage). So I was wondering the likelihood of being stopped and if so, how much hassle it is? - as I might be in a bit of a hurry when I land back in Dublin! Hope that makes a bit more sense now.

Thanks.

Ah I see! Well tbh I'd be very surprised if you got stopped, but you could be unlucky. I rarely see people being stopped at Dublin airport, well as in average people, they generally have their eye on certain people and flights, and I'd imagine only a small % are completely random checks.

TheMilkyPirate

Sorry for dragging up a thread, But if they do pull you aside and find you with more than the limit say 3 cartons of cigs and a few bottles of spirits, What happens? Do they make you pay the extra money or will they just take it off you?

Or...Worse??

EDIT: There will be 8 of us coming back from gran canaria all aged 18-22 so we WILL be stopped!

mikedragon32

The answers in the thread apply. If you're stopped and they find your cigarettes, you'll be made pay the duty on any amount over your limit.

The limit is 200 cigarettes per person.

Returning from any of the Canary Islands you should depart via the green channel, sometimes it's just quicker anyway as there's a huge number going through blue.

scout353

Two things here - one is all non-EU flights have a different luggage label on them compared to EU flights (one has a green stripe on each of the edges of the luggage label while other has no stripe but can't remember which is which.)

It seems that customs are definitely targeting the flights from Canaries and Turkey because of the cheap fags in particular.

Also the green channel now has its own scanner and i have seen them putting all luggage from canaries through that both in Cork and Dublin.

Hope that helps.

mikedragon32

scout353 wrote: »

Two things here - one is all non-EU flights have a different luggage label on them compared to EU flights (one has a green stripe on each of the edges of the luggage label while other has no stripe but can't remember which is which.)

It seems that customs are definitely targeting the flights from Canaries and Turkey because of the cheap fags in particular.

Also the green channel now has its own scanner and i have seen them putting all luggage from canaries through that both in Cork and Dublin.

Hope that helps.

Good to know.