Customs And Exise , Need This Question Answered .

[dieseldick]

i flew into eire dublin few months ago *** customs took my wifes gold bracelet off me because i did not declare. so to get it back i was slapped with fine ect about 800 euro.

anyway, i have another bracelet i will take back home, it was about 1000 pounds, i have had it around 4 years but has lost reciept. if me or my wife are wearing this going through customs gate can or do customs have the right to confiscate it ? under eu law . we have no proof of purchase , it was bought a few years ago. obviously if it is in box with reciept they can prove it was recently bought if that was the case but this is an old necklace that i wish to take back to my family. so the question is do they have a right to confiscate it or hold it ?

[EDDIE51]

I'm not sure there is a time limit as to how long you have to have owned an item before you can bring it into the EU tax free. In fact I think that if it was bought tax free then duty has to be paid when it is brought into the EU no matter how long ago it was purchased. In any case you will be on the 'hit list' for extra checks at customs after your last incident so DO NOT try to get away with 'slipping it through' this time you will end up with it confiscated permanently and a huge fine.

[EDDIE51]

Been doing a bit of Googling and as far as I can see jewellery has to be declared and tax and VAT paid on import to the EU no matter how long you have owned it . 'Ordinary' household items and possessions are exempt after you have owned them a while but jewellery has to be declared and the duty/tax paid no matter how long you have owned it.
Lets face it anything else would be unworkable, people would just import Gold and jewellery tax free by saying they had had it a few years, receipts are no proof any one can write out a receipt backdated a few years.

[Old_Geezer]

I'm no expert but h ow can they tell you didn't have it for years and took it out of the EU to start with ?

[237SJ]

If you`re wearing it and it`s hidden under your sleeve, they won`t see it. Don`t do anything silly though (like bringing in too many duty frees) because if they rummage you and find them, you`ll be put through the scanner and then they`ll find any jewellery you`re wearing.

[EDDIE51]

O G to prove you bought it in the EU you would have to produce the receipt
also Gold bought in the UK or EU would be hallmarked to show it's origin.
237sj DD has a history of trying this before and getting caught, his name and passport number will be on the 'hit list' for extra checks as will anyone traveling with him.

[sandyRoe]

Don't all passengers have to go through a scanner?

[237SJ]

The scanner in Customs Sandy. It`s for a secondary check although I don`t know if they have them in Ireland. Eddie - I`m not sure about that. Customs don`t know who you are when you walk through - and I`m not sure Immigration at Border Control would have that info - I doubt it.

[whiskeryron]

Anyone with any sense will insure valuable jewellery so if you take it abroad take the insurance certificate with you which will prove the date you insured it.

[237SJ]

I`m not sure about EU laws and time scales these days but they can take something off you if they think you have bought it abroad without paying duty. I have never seen them making people take rings etc off but I do remember the incident years ago when Carol Thatcher had her expensive camera confiscated because she couldn`t provide a receipt.

[ummmm]

Do do have them in Ireland. You still have to take your shoes off etc etc from Eng to Ire.

[237SJ]

It`s the customs scanner ummmm, not the one at security. I think they`re mainly used for drugs tbh.

[Peter Pedant]

DeeDee I think you realise that you are importing stuff ( they took your wife's bracelet off you ) -well you werent wearing it and neither had she, had she ?

so if it is an old bracelet and you are importing it for the first time, duty may well be due.
I have never had stuff seized, but I have been repeatedly searched for drugs - I suppose we look different

[ToraToraTora]

They have to show with reasonable certainlt that you are importing it that trip. Even then you can later provide evidence you already owned it. Christ I've travelled wirth a Rolex about 40 times if they asked me for a reciept every time I'd be skint. The presence of a reciept is bad not the absence. You must be able to travel with things previously bought legitimately or the whole thing would be a pickle. You can't walk around with original receipts for eveything.

[Old_Geezer]

So if you have your great great great grandmother's heirloom necklace you need the EU receipt or they take it away for you. That sounds a little odd.

[Old_Geezer]

I reckon swallow it and let nature take its course :-)

[hc4361]

Has your wife flown out to Thailand to join you?

[SpikeyBush]

Sounds like you had a brush with Christy. He is a b.stard. I have had many dealings with the Revenue Commissioners in Dublin and Christy is the one to avoid. If Finbar was on duty you'd have been fine.

[Zacs-Master]

Jeez man. Bad luck is your best friend.

[boxtops]

so they challenge pieces of jewellery being worn? what about engagement rings and so on? I agree with Ron, take the insurance valuation with you.