If you go into Gib 2 or 3 times per day

[USINSPAIN]

If you go into Gib 2 or 3 times per day and each times bring out your allowed allowance for example 200 cigs and 1 litre of drink where are you breaking the law ???

[costakid]

I would guess the minute you sell the cigs you would be breaking the law. If for personal use then i think you are ok.

[ian.wilson]

Yes, if the police sus you they will take your details and out marker on the computer. If they stop you again they will then fine you. You are alos not allowed to take cigerettes through before 09:00hrs and after 20:00hrs.

[Acen]

I would guess the minute you sell the cigs you would be breaking the law. If for personal use then i think you are ok.

not correct, you can only "import" tobacco into spain 3 times in a MONTH.

nothing to do with selling it.

Also you are not allowed to be in possession of over 16,000 cigs in spain without a licence, but if they catch you with say over 10 cartons then expect to be walking home.

smuggling is a major issue in these parts, and the criminal gangs and tobbacco tourist are ruining it for everyone who work here.

its not harmless smuggling, people are getting hurt (both smugglers and guardia) and there are road block every now and then at campamento and the cermetary road in la linea.

[gus-lopez]

I would guess the minute you sell the cigs you would be breaking the law. If for personal use then i think you are ok.

not correct, you can only "import" tobacco into spain 3 times in a MONTH.

nothing to do with selling it.

Also you are not allowed to be in possession of over 16,000 cigs in spain without a licence, but if they catch you with say over 10 cartons then expect to be walking home.

smuggling is a major issue in these parts, and the criminal gangs and tobbacco tourist are ruining it for everyone who work here.

its not harmless smuggling, people are getting hurt (both smugglers and guardia) and there are road block every now and then at campamento and the cermetary road in la linea.

In addition you can't leave Spain with more than 800 cigarettes without needing an export licence !

[USINSPAIN]

It was an interesting conversation we had with regards to the police stopping cars at the roundabout outside of Linea, and searching for smuggled goods if you only bring out your allowance each time then you are not smuggling so we thought but the answer regarding only being allowed 3 times per month makes sense but getting back to my question then you would be allowed to enter Gib 3 times in one day and bring out your allowance.

[El Cid]

getting back to my question then you would be allowed to enter Gib 3 times in one day and bring out your allowance.

You could try it but make sure you have the number of a good long distance taxi to get you home if you get it wrong!

These guys don't take prisoners. I know someone who just had an extra carton over the limit. They impounded his car and fined him €1000. It was on a Friday and he had to pay the fine in Algeciras on the Monday - an expensive unplanned holiday weekend in Gib and an expensive taxi to Algeciras and back.

The one thing that really winds up the Customs/Guardia down there is tobacco smuggling. Just because they allow 3 trips a month doesn't mean that you can do them all in a day.

You won't ever get a definitive answer on this as they will change/interpret the rules to suit themselves.

It's just not worth it!

Sid

[Alhaurincraig]

t's just not worth it

These are hard times & people are desperate. I'd rather they tried making €100 a week selling hookie fags than resort to real crime.

[Acen]

its more like once every 1.5 weeks rather than 3 times in one day.

all of us that work in gib are familiar faces with guardia as we been seeing each other for years.

Tourists stick out a mile off, especially if you go through non rush hour times.

I believe the difference from gib to spain is less than €10 per carton.

is it really worth the hassle???

i seen people beaten up by the guardia for lying about the cigs!!!

Ive also see a brand new car taken apart during an inspection but dont expect them to put it back together!!!!

Ive even seen a Brit taken off to the cells because in the boot they had a cricket bat in the boot.

if you really want to do, then you have to wait for the guardia shift change so you will fresh for at least twice. But dont forget the houses on the right when you come in are military and they have CCTV that will be used on the GIB side if there is any trouble.

FINALLY WHEN LEAVING GIB BY CAR LOOK OUT FOR ALL THE EMPOUNDED VECHICLES MOST OF WHICH WILL BE CRUSHED. (on the left when leaving). you have been warned. make sure you have enough cash for a taxi to Algeciras to get to court. I cant tell you how many people ive seen in tears with the "what do we do now" look when they lost their car.

[Acen]

t's just not worth it

These are hard times & people are desperate. I'd rather they tried making €100 a week selling hookie fags than resort to real crime.

They make €3 a carton at the border. and can only usually do 5 trips a day in a 9 hour period.

most have criminal records anyway so it does not matter.

if you dont live in La linea you will struggle making €100 a week. Better off begging in Lidls.

[spanish_lad]

on the "what you are allowed" sign thats on the wall before you pass the guardia / customs it states:

200 cigs OR 100(?) ciggarillos OR 250g tabacco per 24 hours. max of 3 times a month.


so even people who cross every day for work cant legally take it out.

[Mowser]

In addition you can't leave Spain with more than 800 cigarettes without needing an export licence !

Well I know that's incorrect! From HM Revenue & Customs ...

Although there are no limits on the amount of alcohol and tobacco you can bring in from EU countries, customs officials are more likely to ask you questions if you have more than:

* 3,200 cigarettes
* 200 cigars
* 400 cigarillos
* 3kg of tobacco
* 110 litres of beer
* 90 litres of wine
* 10 litres of spirits
* 20 litres of fortified wine (for example port or sherry)

[spanish_lad]

doesnt matter either way - you can only take 200 gib cigs to the uk - they are duty NOT paid

[gus-lopez]

In addition you can't leave Spain with more than 800 cigarettes without needing an export licence !

Well I know that's incorrect! From HM Revenue & Customs ...

Although there are no limits on the amount of alcohol and tobacco you can bring in from EU countries, customs officials are more likely to ask you questions if you have more than:

* 3,200 cigarettes
* 200 cigars
* 400 cigarillos
* 3kg of tobacco
* 110 litres of beer
* 90 litres of wine
* 10 litres of spirits
* 20 litres of fortified wine (for example port or sherry)

That's what you are allowed to take IN to the UK , assuming it's legal to take them OUT of another EU country.You need an export licence to take OUT of Spain more than 800 cigarettes. The 1st day after the UK altered the law to allow 3,200 cigarettes ( after EU pressure ) the Malaga airport police & customs stopped everyone & confiscated everything where they had more than 800 cigarettes. They might have been pressurised by the EU to drop the law, but I haven't heard that it's been dropped.

[Mowser]

doesnt matter either way - you can only take 200 gib cigs to the uk - they are duty NOT paid

You could of course swap them onto empty packets of cigarettes that have the duty paid sticker on them, but that would be a tad ridiculous.

[Mowser]

Gus
The tobacco shop in Malaga airport still has the sign up saying you are allowed 3,200 cigarettes.
If you take with you a receipt for the cigarettes there is no problem.
I showed my receipt in Malaga in December last year. No problemo. Here's the relevant part:-

Spain has its own regulations

When travelling to Spain, UK citizens need to be aware that the Spanish authorities have domestic legislation, which places documentary obligations upon anyone holding or moving large quantities of duty-paid cigarettes (above 800). One of the practical effects of this is that UK travellers, in the same way as everybody else who is holding or moving large quantities of duty-paid cigarettes in Spain (between 800 and 1200), must produce a receipt from a legitimate retailer and, for even larger quantities of cigarettes (over 1200), a form known as a 'Documento de Acompanamiento'.

[Alhaurincraig]

doesnt matter either way - you can only take 200 gib cigs to the uk - they are duty NOT paid

But customs never stop passengers from flights within the EU

[peteroldracer]

But customs never stop passengers from flights within the EU

Completely untrue - all passenger manifests are monitored, and suspicious people will be targetted - along with many others on the flight to make it look random. My OH was 20 years with Customs, including front-line service at airports.

Malaga airport has its own way of restricting the amount of cigs going out to the UK...the baggage handlers/security simply steal lots of them, having been notified which cases have the loads of ciggies.

[Alhaurincraig]

I wonder what constitutes suspicious. I travel to & from the UK every single month & not once in three years have I been stopped by customs. I don't make a habit of taking fags back because I can't be bothered but if I do go to Gib I'll always get 10 cartons to sell to my mates in the UK.

It is of no surprise to me whatsoever that drugs are such a major problem in Britain as it's so easy to smuggle into.

[Acen]

on the "what you are allowed" sign thats on the wall before you pass the guardia / customs it states:

200 cigs OR 100(?) ciggarillos OR 250g tabacco per 24 hours. max of 3 times a month.


so even people who cross every day for work cant legally take it out.

Did anyone really think we legally could smuggle it into spain????

also dont expect every carton to be 100% the real deal.

The chinese imports are in gib as well and are sold in the normal way (not in morrisson or the petrol stations) but certain places do pass it on.

BTW the tender for the shop that sells the tobacco next to the runway by the barrier was up for sale for £750,000 and was snapped up in 2 days. the Chief ministers is not only a smoker but controls the import licenses (£2m min for the licence) so guess who is in no rush to increase the duty.