EU cigarettes via Gibralter

terryw

A chum is taking a holiday in Spain but he is flying there and back via Gibralter.

Is he allowed to buy his HM Customs and Excise tobacco allowance for his own use in Spain (thus paying EU duty) and then bring them back via Gibralter to the UK?

terryw

dzug1

He will not be allowed to take them into Gibraltar.

http://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/gov_depts/customs/customs_index.htm

If he managed to get them into Gibraltar - bit of a grey area. Purchased in EU - so yes - but not travelling from EU - so (question mark) no.

PolishBigSpender

The likelihood is that Gibraltar won't care less if you import EU duty paid cigarettes into their territory - although technically illegal, you'll probably find that they'd laugh at the prospect of someone smuggling cigarettes into Gibraltar given the much lower prices in the territory.

The difficult part will be bringing them into the UK. Although you can prove quite well that EU duty has been paid on them (sealed packets, receipts, etc) - there's no way of proving that a VAT refund wasn't applied for and given at the Gibraltar border. It's worth calling HMRC and asking - but bear in mind that individual customs officers have authority to act, and you may find the goods seized if you cannot prove conclusively that the tax was paid and no refund was applied to them.

omelette451

PolishBigSpender wrote: »

The likelihood is that Gibraltar won't care less if you import EU duty paid cigarettes into their territory - although technically illegal, you'll probably find that they'd laugh at the prospect of someone smuggling cigarettes into Gibraltar given the much lower prices in the territory.

Quite possibly, but Gibraltar's customs officers can be real sticklers for the rules when they want to be. It's not unheard of for everyone in a given day to be searched properly.

PolishBigSpender

omelette451 wrote: »

Quite possibly, but Gibraltar's customs officers can be real sticklers for the rules when they want to be. It's not unheard of for everyone in a given day to be searched properly.

Funny really, they do so much complaining about the Spanish, yet do it themselves.

PolishBigSpender

Actually, having thought about this. When is he going? I haven't read up about this for a while, but Gibraltar Airport is currently being completely changed to allow free access into the airport (and thus airside) without having to enter Gibraltar. I'm not certain on the technicalities - but the idea is that Spain would be able to have internal flights without going through Gibraltar border control.

It may be that if the terminal is finished, then you can access the airport terminal without needing to go through Gibraltarian controls. But - I'm really not certain about this.

gumbarge

fags are dirt cheap in Gibraltar

cheaper than spain

PolishBigSpender

gumbarge wrote: »

fags are dirt cheap in Gibraltar

cheaper than spain

And as a non-EU territory for certain fiscal aspects, you're only allowed to take 200 in/out of the territory. Customs are likely to be very vigilant towards Gibraltar flights for that reason.

Alcmene

PolishBigSpender wrote: »

Funny really, they do so much complaining about the Spanish, yet do it themselves.

This comment is uncalled for!

jimd-f

the simple answer is that you are allowed to bring in 200 cigarettes flying from gibraltar.
customs in the UK are well aware of where your flight has come from and regularly target people on these flights, much the same as people coming in from the Canaries.

terryw

jimd-f wrote: »

the simple answer is that you are allowed to bring in 200 cigarettes flying from gibraltar.
customs in the UK are well aware of where your flight has come from and regularly target people on these flights, much the same as people coming in from the Canaries.

Thanks for that but my chum has no intention of smuggling. He wishes to bring back cigarettes with the duty paid in the EU. He is allowed to bring in 3200 cigarettes with duty paid in the EU but only 200 if bought outside the EU. My question is can he bring in 3200 cigarettes from the EU if he flies from Gibraltar? He has no intention of bring any Gib cigarettes into the UK.

Thanks to all who replied

terryw