AlysonRR

A few years ago, my mother-in-law bought Yukon Jack at the duty-free in Canada, only to have it confiscated in Amsterdam on their way back to the UK.

My English (permanent US resident) husband and I (US citizen) are making a rare trip to the UK to see his family and he'd love to get single malt scotch at the duty-free when we leave England, but we have a layover in Toronto. He's very much concerned that the same thing will happen to him.

Is there a way to buy his scotch in England and get it through to the US without having it confiscated?

I did post in Air Travel, but I'm hoping other European travelers may have experienced this issue and have relevant experience to share.

Thanks!

sparkchaser

I always bring alcohol into the U.S. from Europe via a Toronto layover. The issue may be that you buy the alcohol at the duty free in Europe and when you land in Toronto, you have to go through security again and the bottle is larger than what you are allowed to bring through security. You want to avoid that.

It used to be that when you landed in Toronto and were flying next to the U.S. that you would have to claim your baggage then recheck it (and use this opportunity to pack your booze in your luggage and recheck it) but I think now the bags gets checked through automatically.

My advice? Mail it to yourself in the U.S. or buy the whisky before you get to the airport and pack it in your checked luggage. Hell, if you buy the whisky in the right shop, they will ship it for you. I do this when we go to Scotland.

Dukey1

You do not say why that booze was confiscated.

Assuming you must comply with the Canadian importation restrictions

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-vo...vc-eng.html#a2

and unless there is some exclusion allowing you to import specified amounts of booze THROUGH Canada, you may be stuck following the Canadian rules

Dukey1

Be aware that mailing booze to yourself is subject to the following restrictions (from the US Customs site)

"Shipping alcoholic beverages by mail is prohibited by U.S. postal laws. The importer must be 21 to bring alcoholic beverages into the United States.

Shipping alcoholic beverages through a courier is permitted, however, duty will be collected on the entire shipment (there is no duty exemption for alcohol not accompanying a traveler), and the courier will probably charge handling and Customs Broker fees that could significantly raise the cost of the shipment."

sparkchaser

I think the booze was confiscated because it wasn't checked and they had to go through security. That's the only thing that makes sense.

Dukey1

Sparkchaser, do you DECLARE that booze you are bringing in through Canada...somehow I doubt it.

sparkchaser

<i>"Shipping alcoholic beverages by mail is prohibited by U.S. postal laws. The importer must be 21 to bring alcoholic beverages into the United States.</i>

Aye.

That's why you use UPS, FedEx, or another non-USPS carrier. It's not rocket surgery.

Dukey1

I think the booze was confiscated because they tried to bring in too much.

janisj

>>A few years ago, my mother-in-law bought Yukon Jack at the duty-free in Canada, only to have it confiscated in Amsterdam on their way back to the UK.<<

I am almost 100% sure that had nothing at all to do w/ import duties/rules. If she bought is at Duty Free she had it with her at Schiphol, not in her checked bag. Of course one can't carry a fifth/quart of any liquid through security and on to a plane.

sparkchaser

<i>Sparkchaser, do you DECLARE that booze you are bringing in through Canada...somehow I doubt it.</i>

No, it's my checked luggage. Why would I? I fill out a US card, not a Canadian card.


I do declare my alcohol coming into the U.S. but even when I am way over the limit, they still wave me through -- nobody wants to do the paperwork to collect a $7 duty.

Ackislander

Yes, Janis is correct. It will be confiscated because it exceeds the amount of liquid you can carry through security, and you have to go through US immigration security in Toronto if you are going to the US. If you were transiting without security or not transiting at all, (if Toronto were your destination) there is no problem because the whisky is delivered airside from duty free at the point of origin, if that makes any sense at all. The issue is not that it is whisky; the issue is that it is a liter of liquid. If you could put it into your checked bag during the Toronto process, you might get away with it, but the security people are our friends at TSA.

NOW, when our Scottish relations visit, they buy single malt whisky at Atlas Liquors in Quincy, MA, because Atlas have a much better selection and lower prices than duty free. The New Hampshire State Liquor Stores generally have significantly better prices than duty free for the brands they have in common. But it has to go into your checked baggage.

janisj

Same here in California -- a HUGE election and cheaper than either duty free or in Scotland.

flanneruk

Several years ago, carrying duty-free booze through a stopover was a security problem.

In most civilised countries, it isn't any more. Duty free shops put booze automatically into sealed carriers, and security staff understand the system perfectly. All British duty free shops do this without prompting, though checking wouldn't be a bad idea.

The likelihood is that America's TSA has never heard of the system - but you don't say you're going through a US security check.

Presumably you're going through US immigration at YYZ, and my understanding is that means your baggage goes through US Customs inspection there too. But your Scotch poses no threat to US Customs: it's a problem to insular security agencies.

TSA, though, has no authority at Toronto: security checks - even on passengers who've cleared US immigration - are the responsibility of the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA), which is likely to understand how these things work in the real world.

I may be wrong, but phone them at (613) 998-4527 before buying your booze.

Truffles

Isn't this problem now solved by the sealed bags that any liquid duty free purchases are put into at the duty free shop? If I'm not mistaken (it is entirely possible I am) as long as the seal is not broken you can transit with your purchase...

AlysonRR

Thanks so much, everyone, for your facts, experience, and opinions I'll pass the info along to to my husband, particularly the number for CATSA (thanks, flanneruk).

In answer to some questions:
The Yukon Jack issue was not volume of alcohol exceeding duty limits - it was volume of liquid not going into checked luggage (and no opportunity to re-pack). This was, indeed, a few years ago (~6yr) so it sounds as though there are more solid procedures now which will prevent a repeat on this side of the Atlantic.

There are, indeed, good US stores for single malt scotch. In our early years of marriage we lived near a store that had at least 40 different 1-oz bottles from diverse distilleries, and which stocked quite a few of them (and would order the rest) in full-sizes. That store, however, is about 3000 miles away now, and we have not found anything similar in our new home state...

BigRuss

I'm thinking Sparky and Janis are right. So here's what you do: if you're in Edinburgh or London, visit Royal Mile Whiskies. Buy up what you want. Pack it in your luggage.

Problem solved.

And the selection at RMW will be better than the duty free. Seriously.

BTW, in the US you can buy from various California shops and NY shops (drinkupny.com, hitimewine.net). Ignore the state by state prohibitions unless the liquor seller actually complies with them. They're probably illegal under the Commerce Clause and have been viewed as such since at least 2005 when the Supreme Court ruled on the issue.

janisj

I agree - duty free don't really have any bargains - plus the selection isn't that great.

Buy in country and put it in your checked bags.

Michael

<i>TSA, though, has no authority at Toronto: security checks - even on passengers who've cleared US immigration</i>

We went through U.S. security when connecting in Calgary.

BigRuss

<<TSA, though, has no authority at Toronto: security checks - even on passengers who've cleared US immigration - are the responsibility of the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA), which is likely to understand how these things work in the real world.>>

This is one of Flanner's usual, ignorant, wrong anti-US posts. The carry-on liquid provisions are in place in Canada and Europe (both continental and UK) too.

sparkchaser

OK, so I see you provided additional/different information in the other thread.

Based on this thread ( http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/archive/t-1080223.html ) it seems like a sealed bag would be ok, BUT given the inconsistent application/interpretation of security policies, I would not regard it as a 100% sure-fire approach.