What are the risks of smuggling goods back into Canada?

[doug]

There is not duty on *motorcycle* tires. But the agent may have looked up the wrong kind of tire--some tires do have duty.

If you call the Customs 1-800 # beforehand, they can tell you the duties on various things from various origins. They can also supply you with a code/number referring to a specific good that can be helpful if they want to charge you duty/higher duty when you get to the border. I'd advise silence if they decide to charge less.

oh, so you mean the 10 digit tariff code? like section 40.11, covering pneumatic tires? 4011.00.10, tires for motor cars, 7% most favoured nation tariff. yes, bike tires are exempt. if they are new. all used tires are 6.5% duty.

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/general/p...5-2/ch40ne.pdf

page 14, page 19. pdf pages, not document pages.

[trademark]

For tires, you would have to say something like that you were riding and you wrecked both tires, causing you to have new ones.

When my dad was driving in the states with his SUV, his transmission blew and he had to get a new one which cost $$$. When he came back across the border they asked him a whole bunch of questions in which he had to prove that he did not drive down there to get a new tranny, rather it was an emergency situation and the vehicle could not be driven without a replacement.

[Spike]

yes, bike tires are exempt. if they are new. all used tires are 6.5% duty.

Hmm... If you drive down in your car, and drive back with new motorcycle tires in the trunk, they can clearly be shown to be "new". If you ride down, and have the tires changed and then ride back, by the time you get to the border they're probably quite definitely used. Do they take into account the tire condition when you bought them, or when they were imported?

[doug]

Hmm... If you drive down in your car, and drive back with new motorcycle tires in the trunk, they can clearly be shown to be "new". If you ride down, and have the tires changed and then ride back, by the time you get to the border they're probably quite definitely used. Do they take into account the tire condition when you bought them, or when they were imported?

i was thinking that myself. you get some guy on a bad day and he'd definately say they are used.

i made the mistake of going to pt roberts to pick up a package with a new tire and my rear rim in the hatch. took a bit of talk to convince them i was going to north shore suzuki from coquitlam to get it mounted, and i was doing a round trip. was told next time to make several trips to get my business done. i politely, after being cleared, told the guy it was kinda silly to waste my day driving 2X more than i have to to appease customs.

[PUREVIL]

The horror stories of your car getting ripped apart is misleading. YES its true if the border guys suspect something is hidden they can tear it apart to find it. If there is nothing there and there is damage they will have to pay for it, they cant just say oh sorry, you think the lawyers would allow that! If they do find something then its your problem. There was a show about the mexican border and they X rayed a van and found something in the wheel wells. They took it all part and found it was nothing but in the process they cut some of the inner metal wall. I remember they had to call in a supervisor and issue a appology and some paper work for the repair. But in the same show someone tried smuggling drugs in the dash board and engine bay.... they ripped it apart, the driver was jailed and the car was seized for evidence.

[Deej]

one of my old cars got the interior torn apart because they suspected something.

they put it back together, thanked me for being so cooperative, and let me go along my way, not that there was any point anymore, since being held up for two and a half hours at the border made me miss the wedding I was heading down for anyway.

a few weeks later though I noticed my seat was rocking, I went to tighten the bolts and found two of them broken off, and then found that the carpet had been sliced at the rocker panels.

I contacted several people at US customs, but the problem is, I had no proof that my interior had been taken apart by them. Thats a problem.

[Spike]

I contacted several people at US customs, but the problem is, I had no proof that my interior had been taken apart by them. Thats a problem.

This is why I never drive to the US without my camera. I've had a car I was in searched *once* while heading to the US. Two guys driving down in a red sports car, on a summer afternoon midweek. I guess we looked fishy. Anyway, as soon as I started taking pictures of them while they were searching, they got a lot more careful with the vehicle.

[PUREVIL]

My friend got us search cuz we had a camera. It wasn't even on he was half asleep and it was in his lap cuz he was taking pics as we were driving. The guy asked him do you have that camera on? Hes like no I was just taking some driving footage.... pull over into the garage. DAMN!

[justice]

...Remember, customs agents have more power than RCMP officers in many situations...

Actually, RCMP officers have all the same powers that customs agents have. It's just that RCMP officers normally will not use these powers during their normal course of duties. For example, if an RCMP officer wants to search without a warrant (like customs officers) he can do so under the Customs Act, as long as he is looking for contraban suspected to have come across the border illegally.
A word of warning:
There is no time limit or safe zone. The RCMP can bust you months down the road in the middle of the province, far from any border.
RCMP also have all the powers afforded to DFO officers, and Conservation officers. Basically, the RCMP enforce every Canadian law including all Criminal Code offences, Provincial statutes, and Municipal bylaws.

[slam]

Actually, RCMP officers have all the same powers that customs agents have. It's just that RCMP officers normally will not use these powers during their normal course of duties...
RCMP also have all the powers afforded to DFO officers, and Conservation officers. Basically, the RCMP enforce every Canadian law including all Criminal Code offences, Provincial statutes, and Municipal bylaws.

no kidding?

thanks for the info.

[Lyzic]

smuggle whatever you want, fuck the border police! save that 20 bucks man!

it is you that is flagged, not a passport or DL or anything else. you.

if you get caught, you are in the system for life. however, mandatory searches are for something like 2 years and then go down to 90%, 80%, and so forth. expect it almost every time for at least 5 years, specially if you don't travel a lot.

customs can rip your shit apart and leave it there. if you don't take it away you can get billed for it. lawyers have argued this, doesn't matter. if they are going to do it, they have reasonable grounds to believe it is necessary. you and your lawyer won't win.

stuff made in the USA is duty exempt under nafta. your dunlops and whatnot better have a made in usa stamp if you want to argue this. bought in usa made in china isn't exempt. and if your an ass this can fuck you over.

oh, and canada customs takes your car if its been modified to smuggle. so make a special little panel and it's gone. however, you get car fines, etc and get it back for other offences, like $500 to get your car back if you bring in a gun. don't know the states policy.

........and i'm spent

[BIG_PERM]

Has anyone ordered A stars or Joe Rocket gear from the states? Do we have to pay duty on it or is it US made?

[Lyzic]

my astars jacket was made in malaysia or something similar

[Spike]

stuff made in the USA is duty exempt under nafta. your dunlops and whatnot better have a made in usa stamp if you want to argue this. bought in usa made in china isn't exempt.

Unless you can show that it's used. There is no duty on used motorcycle parts.

[Lyzic]

they had better be used then, a 5km scrub in probably isn't enough to convince the customs guy it's used

i dunno. getting caught the first time means searched every time, plus 40% fine + tax and duty to get your item back. doesn't really seem worth it. plus, if it's significant enough the fines tend to get huge.

for example, $25k on a watch valued at $60k just in penalty, plus tax, duty, etc on top of that

not really worth it.