I had my Partagas D4s confiscated and destroyed at the airport, I need help.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - I had my Partagas D4s confiscated and destroyed at the airport, I need help.

Posted: 8/26/2007 5:14:43 PM EDT

While in europe I had a cigar (probably the first real cigar I ever smoked). It had been given to me by the waiter of the local bar as he said it was good. I tried it and loved it. I bought a whole bunch of them.

On the trip back I declared them at customs. The customs guy searched my bag, looked at my cigars, and says...

Customs guy: did you know cuban cigars are illegal in the USA?
Me: No, your kidding right?
Customs guy:No I am not kidding. Did you smoke any cuban cigars in Europe?
Me: Yes...
Customs guy: Did you know that is illegal?
Me: No...am I in trouble here?
Customs guy: No, because I truly believe you didnt know they were illegal. You are the first person I have ever seen to write down "50 Partagas D4 cigars" on his decleration card and not tak them out of their bands or box. Usually they take them out of all wrappers and dont even declare them. They usually walk right through without us ever knowing.
Me: (thinking to myself, dang, thats what I should have done. Why did I follow the rules?)
Customs guy: So you have to fill out this form and I have to destory them in front of you. How much did you pay for them?
Me: $416.67. Oh wait, that is euros, so probably about $600.
Customs guy: Ouch (as he then proceeds to break up all the cigars and dump them into a trash can).

Then I go to leave and notice everyone who HASNT declared anything basically just walks through, they dont search them. But I have always followed the rules.

So anyways, are there any cigars available in the USA that taste like the Partagas D4?

Posted: 8/26/2007 5:19:02 PM EDT

[#1]

sorry but

de-label them next time

Posted: 8/26/2007 5:29:16 PM EDT

[#2]

Did you really not know cubans were not legal to have in the US? real question

Posted: 8/26/2007 5:30:08 PM EDT

[#3]

<Question> Anything to Declare?????

<answer> No

Maybe when Fidel kicks the bucket, they can get shit worked out, but I highly doubt it..... I didn't know it was illegal to smoke them while out of the states?? never heard of that...I smoke them when i went to Canada, But NEVER brought any back in CD cases like I hear a lot of other people do

Posted: 8/26/2007 5:38:39 PM EDT

[#4]

Ya I also didn't smoke one while driving back from Canada.

Posted: 8/26/2007 5:43:22 PM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
Did you really not know cubans were not legal to have in the US? real question

No I really didn't. I don't know anyone who smokes cigars. No one I know even smokes cigarettes. As I said, it was my first real cigar. I once had some philly cigar in college a roomate got from Walgreens, but that was horrible. This trip I wanted to try new things and it turns out I like cigars.

Posted: 8/26/2007 5:59:47 PM EDT

[#6]

Shit man I'm sorry to hear that.

I dunno what to tell you other than now that many Cuban cigar makers have since moved to the United States and kept making cigars, that the top-tier cigar companies will be just as good as most Cubans (my opinion). Cuban cigars to me just seem like, "the forbidden fruit".

Posted: 8/26/2007 6:02:05 PM EDT

[#7]

Crime pays.

Posted: 8/26/2007 6:06:19 PM EDT

[#8]

I was once given a Honduran cigar made from Cuban seed. Holy Cow that was a nice cigar!

But like said, check the top tier suppliers for "Cuban seed" but grown in another country and you'll get about as close to an actual Cuban cigar as you can currently get in the US.

Posted: 8/26/2007 6:10:47 PM EDT

[#9]

I am speechless...

Posted: 8/26/2007 6:19:12 PM EDT

[#10]

From studies I've seen done, odds are the ones you had were imitation cubans anyways....

Posted: 8/26/2007 8:50:32 PM EDT

[#11]

Nalgene bottles are airtight...no seriously they are. they are crushproof AND airtight. not sure how thats relavant here, be imaginative.

82nd

Posted: 8/26/2007 9:02:45 PM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
I need help.

Agreed.

Posted: 8/26/2007 9:08:41 PM EDT

[#13]

Ouch.

Did you miss that whole "Cuban Missile Crisis"?

Check out the movie "13 Days".

Posted: 8/26/2007 9:10:30 PM EDT

[#14]

Everyone in this thread was born with that knowledge. Nobody had to tell them.

Sorry to hear you lost $600 worth of cigars. Some Cubans are absolutely worth the money. But in my opinion, you can find similar quality Partagas made elsewhere.

Enjoy you new cigar interest.

Posted: 8/26/2007 9:26:28 PM EDT

[#15]

Its interesting the flack I am getting for not knowing there was this ban. I understood I would get some ribbing, I think its humorous myself. But for people to imply I am a complete moron for not knowing there was some ban on a product I have never used let alone been around is pretty ridiculous. And then to imply this somehow means this must happen in every aspect in my life is just insulting.

But thanks for the support from all the adults on the board. I hope to enjoy this past time some more.

Posted: 8/26/2007 9:30:53 PM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
Shit man I'm sorry to hear that.

I dunno what to tell you other than now that many Cuban cigar makers have since moved to the United States and kept making cigars, that the top-tier cigar companies will be just as good as most Cubans (my opinion). Cuban cigars to me just seem like, "the forbidden fruit".

+1

You can get excellent quality cigars here in the States, they just won't have the novelty of being Cuban.

Posted: 8/26/2007 9:31:38 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
Its interesting the flack I am getting for not knowing there was this ban.

We're just giving you a hard time. don't sweat it.

Before the night is up, i'm sure i'll have done a few boneheaded things. feel free to return fire.

Posted: 8/26/2007 10:01:37 PM EDT

[#18]

Thank you for doing the honorable thing. Character is who you are when nobody's watching?

Posted: 8/27/2007 2:48:30 AM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
While in europe I had a cigar (probably the first real cigar I ever smoked). It had been given to me by the waiter of the local bar as he said it was good. I tried it and loved it. I bought a whole bunch of them.

On the trip back I declared them at customs. The customs guy searched my bag, looked at my cigars, and says...

Customs guy: did you know cuban cigars are illegal in the USA?
Me: No, your kidding right?
Customs guy:No I am not kidding. Did you smoke any cuban cigars in Europe?
Me: Yes...
Customs guy: Did you know that is illegal?
Me: No...am I in trouble here?
Customs guy: No, because I truly believe you didnt know they were illegal. You are the first person I have ever seen to write down "50 Partagas D4 cigars" on his decleration card and not tak them out of their bands or box. Usually they take them out of all wrappers and dont even declare them. They usually walk right through without us ever knowing.
Me: (thinking to myself, dang, thats what I should have done. Why did I follow the rules?)
Customs guy: So you have to fill out this form and I have to destory them in front of you. How much did you pay for them?
Me: $416.67. Oh wait, that is euros, so probably about $600.
Customs guy: Ouch (as he then proceeds to break up all the cigars and dump them into a trash can).

Then I go to leave and notice everyone who HASNT declared anything basically just walks through, they dont search them. But I have always followed the rules.

So anyways, are there any cigars available in the USA that taste like the Partagas D4?

dace,im me you addy,i have a consolation prize for you....

Posted: 8/27/2007 3:14:54 AM EDT

[#20]

aren't most cuban cigars full-bodied? Your very first cigar was a full-bodied cigar and you actually liked it? Wow, I had to work myself up to those.

Posted: 8/27/2007 3:22:22 AM EDT

[#21]

I have only smoked a couple of cigars in my life , it was years ago at a stag or something .
Have I heard that Cubans were a no/no with customs? Shit yeah!

On a semi related side note it has always amazed me the amount of effort we have put into having a hard on against Castro over the years . I see how it all developed but in retrospect it seems like we put a lot of time and effort into doing something that didn't accomplish much but make lots of unrelated folks miserable.

Guy in my gunclub was born in Cuba, his grandfather was German and settled there after marrying a local . Whole family was treated horribly by Castro and my friend and his immediate family got out when he was barely a tot with literately the clothes on their backs . They had a tough time and he hates Castro and Communism with a passion . Very interesting to talk to this guy , but have to wonder how things might have been different if the US had done different during the bay of pigs and before .

Posted: 8/27/2007 4:59:36 AM EDT

[#22]

WOW thats a bummer. 50 D4s down the drain.

IMHO you wont find anything available in the States legally

that will be the same as the PSD4. There are alot of good, full-bodied Honduran and Nicaraugan cigars that are available at reasonable prices Punch, Hoyo de Monterrey, El Rey del Mundo and Padron are cigars to check out if you like em full-bodied. Those are the ones I prefer, but there are many others out there. Try a bunch of singles of 5 paks to get a feel for what you like.

2 good online shops I like are seriouscigars.com or jr cigars or visit a local cigar shop and ask for a recommendation.

Posted: 8/27/2007 5:06:11 AM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:
Did you really not know cubans were not legal to have in the US? real question

Posted: 8/27/2007 6:56:13 AM EDT

[#24]

I wasnt trying to "pick" on you I was just clarifying if you didnt know it was ilegal to have cubans or on the other hand you didnt know the ones you bought were cuban since you said you werent into cigars. Thanks for the clarification

Whenever I am down in costa rica I smoke "cubans" but havent ever tried to bring them back becuase A I am a chickenshit and B they are probably fake anyways so why risk trouble for something not real?

It sucks royally you lost 600 bucks though.

Posted: 8/27/2007 7:17:27 AM EDT

[#25]

You are not going to find any legal cigars in the US that taste like a real Partagas SD4.

Sorry about your loss.

Edit to add:

Page two belongs to me!

Posted: 8/27/2007 7:42:40 AM EDT

[#26]

Damn that sucks...Sorry that you had to learn the really really hard way.

That said, hang around here in The Humidor. Lot's of knowledge, and friendly folks...despite a little ribbing.

Posted: 8/27/2007 7:46:32 AM EDT

[#27]

You got off cheap, considering that they could have brought you up on Federal smuggling charges.

Posted: 8/27/2007 7:56:37 AM EDT

[#28]

Quoted:
While in europe I had a cigar (probably the first real cigar I ever smoked). It had been given to me by the waiter of the local bar as he said it was good. I tried it and loved it. I bought a whole bunch of them.

On the trip back I declared them at customs. The customs guy searched my bag, looked at my cigars, and says...

Customs guy: did you know cuban cigars are illegal in the USA?
Me: No, your kidding right?
Customs guy:No I am not kidding. Did you smoke any cuban cigars in Europe?
Me: Yes...
Customs guy: Did you know that is illegal?
Me: No...am I in trouble here?
Customs guy: No, because I truly believe you didnt know they were illegal. You are the first person I have ever seen to write down "50 Partagas D4 cigars" on his decleration card and not tak them out of their bands or box. Usually they take them out of all wrappers and dont even declare them. They usually walk right through without us ever knowing.
Me: (thinking to myself, dang, thats what I should have done. Why did I follow the rules?)
Customs guy: So you have to fill out this form and I have to destory them in front of you. How much did you pay for them?
Me: $416.67. Oh wait, that is euros, so probably about $600.
Customs guy: Ouch (as he then proceeds to break up all the cigars and dump them into a trash can).

Then I go to leave and notice everyone who HASNT declared anything basically just walks through, they dont search them. But I have always followed the rules.

So anyways, are there any cigars available in the USA that taste like the Partagas D4?

You know, I believe this fella was giving you instructions for the next time, just in case.

Posted: 8/30/2007 12:12:51 PM EDT

[#29]

Yeah, you were kind of asking for it there. Sorry but this does go somewhere in the Darwin awards jury prize. Sounds like the customs guy felt for you for getting screwed over. At least he didn't destroy them one at a time. (That means smoking them himself.)

Hope you aren't turned off of cigars from such a terrible first experience. There are plenty of good non cubans out there. And dispite what you hear, Cubans are not the best. Dominicans have really given them a run for their money.

If you don't want to get screwed again, don't buy cubans as there are quite a few fakes out there. I'd be even a little weary of ones I buy in Canada or even the Carribean. Dominicans are a wonderful thing though.

Welcome to the humidor!

Posted: 8/31/2007 2:56:43 PM EDT

[#30]

Quoted:
Ouch.

Did you miss that whole "Cuban Missile Crisis"?

Check out the movie "13 Days".

Not to put too fine a point on it, but yeah, big +1.
[google]bay of pigs[/google]

Sorry about your very expensive lesson in the history of the American Trade Embargo.

ETA: Sorry for piling on.

Posted: 8/31/2007 3:00:23 PM EDT

[#31]

Quoted:
While in europe I had a cigar (probably the first real cigar I ever smoked). It had been given to me by the waiter of the local bar as he said it was good. I tried it and loved it. I bought a whole bunch of them.

On the trip back I declared them at customs. The customs guy searched my bag, looked at my cigars, and says...

Customs guy: did you know cuban cigars are illegal in the USA?
Me: No, your kidding right?
Customs guy:No I am not kidding. Did you smoke any cuban cigars in Europe?
Me: Yes...
Customs guy: Did you know that is illegal?
Me: No...am I in trouble here?
Customs guy: No, because I truly believe you didnt know they were illegal. You are the first person I have ever seen to write down "50 Partagas D4 cigars" on his decleration card and not tak them out of their bands or box. Usually they take them out of all wrappers and dont even declare them. They usually walk right through without us ever knowing.
Me: (thinking to myself, dang, thats what I should have done. Why did I follow the rules?)
Customs guy: So you have to fill out this form and I have to destory them in front of you. How much did you pay for them?
Me: $416.67. Oh wait, that is euros, so probably about $600.
Customs guy: Ouch (as he then proceeds to break up all the cigars and dump them into a trash can).

Then I go to leave and notice everyone who HASNT declared anything basically just walks through, they dont search them. But I have always followed the rules.

So anyways, are there any cigars available in the USA that taste like the Partagas D4?

Posted: 9/2/2007 9:43:38 PM EDT

[#32]

man I'm sorry you had to find out that way. that a lot of cash and those were good smokes. bet it hurt him to destroy them too. not like the custom guys who burn them one at a time.

Posted: 9/4/2007 6:07:32 AM EDT

[#33]

There is a shop in Aruba I went to and the guy was really cool told me what I already knew about getting them home flying but then also told me he debands and ships cubans to the states then mails you the bands seperate. I ordered some that I had smoked while down there and they where the same exact thing shipped just like he said. But you would definatetly need to know your stuff if you were going to order alot to make sure he wasn't sending knock-offs.

The Name and info of shop is at home ill post it later,

Posted: 9/4/2007 3:16:40 PM EDT

[#34]

Quoted:

Quoted:
While in europe I had a cigar (probably the first real cigar I ever smoked). It had been given to me by the waiter of the local bar as he said it was good. I tried it and loved it. I bought a whole bunch of them.

On the trip back I declared them at customs. The customs guy searched my bag, looked at my cigars, and says...

Customs guy: did you know cuban cigars are illegal in the USA?
Me: No, your kidding right?
Customs guy:No I am not kidding. Did you smoke any cuban cigars in Europe?
Me: Yes...
Customs guy: Did you know that is illegal?
Me: No...am I in trouble here?
Customs guy: No, because I truly believe you didnt know they were illegal. You are the first person I have ever seen to write down "50 Partagas D4 cigars" on his decleration card and not tak them out of their bands or box. Usually they take them out of all wrappers and dont even declare them. They usually walk right through without us ever knowing.
Me: (thinking to myself, dang, thats what I should have done. Why did I follow the rules?)
Customs guy: So you have to fill out this form and I have to destory them in front of you. How much did you pay for them?
Me: $416.67. Oh wait, that is euros, so probably about $600.
Customs guy: Ouch (as he then proceeds to break up all the cigars and dump them into a trash can).

Then I go to leave and notice everyone who HASNT declared anything basically just walks through, they dont search them. But I have always followed the rules.

So anyways, are there any cigars available in the USA that taste like the Partagas D4?

dace,im me you addy,i have a consolation prize for you....

elray is a both a gentleman and a scholar who's gifts have no equal.