Taking cigarettes from Germany to UK

In case somebody will miss me for the next 2 weeks, I will be at your home (the Brit's that is)

Of course I would like to take the ciggies for our stay and also a few as prezzie for my bf's family, since they are still loads cheaper here than over there.

I am almost sure that I can take 800 ciggies per person inside the EU?? But since there is a special rule for example the canaries, I just want to make really sure for not getting into trouble, if my bf and I turn up at the airport with 8 cartons of ciggies? :$

Thanx
Hannah

I think you're allowed to take as many as you like - but only for "personal consumption".

thanx Marten (thought I was the only smoker here )

There is a "Richtlinie" though, which says that 800 ciggies per person would be alright for personal use. I was just not sure if UK has maybe special rules because the ciggies are so expensive there and they maybe don't want ppl to bring their own ones :$

I've taken up to eight cartons with me when flying from hamburg to manchester...some for me and some for family. never been stopped yet. they're more worried about people taking thousands of packs hrough, with the obvious intention of selling them on...

Within the EU I believe you're allowed to take as many as you like because you've already paid the tax (MwSt) on them. As Marten says though, you're only allowed to take them for personal use - to sell them on and make a profit would be illegal.

Same goes for alcohol.

oh wow! I sent a mail a few minutes ago and already got an answer:

"vielen Dank für Ihre Anfrage und Ihr Interesse an Großbritannien.

Tabakwaren können bis zu 3200 Zigaretten pro Person aus EU Ländern nach GB eingeführt werden.

Wir hoffen, dass wir Ihnen damit helfen konnten. Falls Sie weitere Fragen haben, stehen wir Ihnen selbstverständlich gerne wieder zur Verfügung.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen

...
Travel Consultant (Deutschland, Schweiz, Österreich)
W: www.visitbritain.com/de

Leading the world to Britain!

YAY

That is good to know thanks Hannah.

I don't smoke myself but my boyf, who moved back to the UK a few months ago, smokes like a chimney. So far I have not taken him any back out of principle but when I see he is forking out a fiver a day which could be saved for our holiday in Goa I am thinking maybe I should. But then it seems like I am encouriging him to smoke - what does everyone else think??

I think if he's spending 1800 quid a year on smoking you should be encouraging him to give up.

This is an interesting point. There was a case a year or so ago of some guy from England who had returned from a Calais shopping trip with a very large quantity of cigarettes and alcohol. The Customs and Excise people said this was over their limts and that he was therefore a trader. They confiscated the goods and his car.

If I remember right, the guy appealed and lost in the UK courts. He then went to Brussels... Brussels overturned the UK High Court decision saying that we are in a free market and that the Customs and Excise have no right to stop people other than to search for illicit drugs or signs of money-laundering. They ordered Customs and Excise to reimburse the victim for the goods, his car (which they had sold) and his legal costs.

Brussels said that Customs and Excise would only be able to interfere if people try to sell things on within the UK - and not at the border.

Having said that - you should give up the fags! You'll feel better - I did!

Ciao
JG