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Bring Roasted Coffee Grounds from Brazil to USA.

Bring Roasted Coffee Grounds from Brazil to USA.

Old Aug 11, 2014, 7:59 am
  #1  
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Bring Roasted Coffee Grounds from Brazil to USA.

Hi guys.

In December we gonna make a big road trip through California.

We love to drink coffee from aeropress (morning and evening) and the question is:

I need to declare 500G if I bring in my luggage, the roasted coffee ?

Its better bring on hand luggage or in checked luggage ?

I know coffee is allowed, but is not clear if I have to declare to customs this amount.

Thank you so much.
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Old Aug 11, 2014, 8:33 am
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Yes, you need to declare it.

For what it's worth, we have coffee here too. Not brasilian, but you can go into any supermarket and buy dozens of different types of coffee and gave it ground there.
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Old Aug 11, 2014, 9:14 am
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@catocony

Thank you for your answer. I live near and buy special coffee directly from producer.

I was thinking about that (buy in USA), but usually the roast level it's different that we use here.

I'll search for coffee shops and maybe taste coffees from other countries. I think it's possible to find coffee from Ethiopian, Colombian etc ?

My first place after landing in LAX is San Diego. I'll search !

Tks.
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Old Aug 11, 2014, 6:43 pm
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Just keep in mind, hiding drugs inside of bags of coffee is an old smuggling trick. Your chances of going to a secondary inspection will be fairly good, especially since you're a brasileiro.
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Old Aug 12, 2014, 2:45 am
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Yeah you definitely need to declare. It's considered an agricultural product.
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Old Aug 13, 2014, 6:36 am
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Hi guys, good morning.

I would like to understand something : Brazilians are more suspicious than Germans, Swiss, French or American, why?

I do not remember of seeing news about Brazilian arrested for trying to smuggle drugs into the USA.

By the way, the Brazilian became known for being the third nationality to spend more on tourism in the USA than many other nationalities

I disagree with many things that happens in my country, I think the USA is an example of development in many ways, and envy their quality of life, but I can not agree that the simple fact of being Brazilian makes me more suspicious than any other.

Especially when traveling with his wife and 14 yrs old teenage daughter and has no criminal or drug in your entire life history.

If I take my coffee (a habit and a pleasure) for my own use, declaring their entry as required by law, it will make me a suspect target, delaying my plans while still making my family feel bad, no thanks.

I Can pass without it and buy at the market.
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Old Aug 13, 2014, 7:06 am
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Originally Posted by flaviocc
Hi guys, good morning.

I would like to understand something : Brazilians are more suspicious than Germans, Swiss, French or American, why?

...

If I take my coffee (a habit and a pleasure) for my own use, declaring their entry as required by law, it will make me a suspect target, delaying my plans while still making my family feel bad, no thanks.

I Can pass without it and buy at the market.
I understand your frustration.

For what it's worth, in 2002 I visited your beautiful country and transited through the USA (MIA, BWI and LAX) on my way back to Australia. I took two bags of Brazilian coffee: one for my mother in the US and another for me to take home. I did declare them but did not have problems in either country.

You are absolutely right that being a Brazilian citizen should not make you any more suspicious than an American or European. However, I think the warning from catocony is about the sad truth that some US customs people are racist by nature or are trained to treat foreigners with more suspicion. Many Americans are ignorant about the world outside their own borders (or even within their own borders) and I can imagine that some customs people would not know the difference between Brazil and, for example, Colombia. In their minds, drugs come from South America so anyone from South America is suspicious. It should not be this way, but it is reasonable to warn you that this may happen.

I am a white woman with an American accent and I had no problems with coffee in 2002. But at LAX in 1993, I was treated with suspicion - they searched all my luggage in detail - because I mentioned to the customs officer that I had chosen to live and work in Australia.

I hope you have a really good trip and enjoy whatever coffee you choose.
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Old Aug 13, 2014, 7:26 am
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in 2002 I visited your beautiful country
Thank you for kind words.

I took two bags of Brazilian coffee
It's very good from some regions.

However, I think the warning from catocony is about the sad truth that some US customs people are racist by nature or are trained to treat foreigners with more suspicion.
Yes, I understood the @catocony words and its just to advise me that's this kind of attitude is possible from US customs.

Many Americans are ignorant about the world outside their own borders (or even within their own borders) and I can imagine that some customs people would not know the difference between Brazil and, for example, Colombia. In their minds, drugs come from South America so anyone from South America is suspicious. It should not be this way, but it is reasonable to warn you that this may happen.
For me it's one of the bad sides of USA.

In my last travel (last year), I talked with a few peoples and one or two of them barely knew where the Brazil is located.

I hope you have a really good trip and enjoy whatever coffee you choose.
^ Thank you so much. Will be a great road trip !!
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Old Aug 13, 2014, 7:45 am
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I've got family in Brazil and travel there about every other year to visit them. Every trip I have brought coffee back. I wouldn't worry about being singled out for any sort of additional questioning or inspection. Neither myself or any family have every had any issues bringing coffee from Brazil. Enjoy your trip!
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Old Aug 13, 2014, 9:26 am
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In case you'd like to try some coffee while in the US (of which many places have hundreds of blends) I found this blog about San Diego coffee places that might help you out. http://sandiegocoffeeshops.com/.
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Old Aug 13, 2014, 9:46 am
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Originally Posted by lmsalman
I've got family in Brazil and travel there about every other year to visit them. Every trip I have brought coffee back. I wouldn't worry about being singled out for any sort of additional questioning or inspection. Neither myself or any family have every had any issues bringing coffee from Brazil. Enjoy your trip!
Thank you for your reporting !!

Yoshi212 - In case you'd like to try some coffee while in the US (of which many places have hundreds of blends) I found this blog about San Diego coffee places that might help you out. http://sandiegocoffeeshops.com/.
Thank you so much for this !!! I really put some places from this site on my plans !!

Last year we spent 10 days in your city .... NYC! ^
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Old Aug 13, 2014, 10:17 am
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Americans returning with a bag of coffee is one thing. A brasileiro or or anyone else from Latin America is going to have a higher chance of a secondary anyways. Most likely the OP will get through fine, but I think you want to minimize the risk. If you are set on one brand of cachaa and want to bring a few bottles in, I would say go for it since you can't find much cachaa here. Coffee, there are far more options here than in Brasil.

Look at it another way. In 50 or so trips to Brasil, I've only had to run my bags through the x-rays once on arrival, and it was loaded with the usual stuff. I always take down 20-30 pounds of stuff like I-pods, thumb drives, ear buds, Victoria's Secret body lotions, perfume, Nike and other tennis shoes. All the stuff that is very expensive to buy in Brasil. I thought I was going to finally get hit with duties, but they didn't say a thing when I showed them my passport. Not a word.

But, almost every brasileiro with overstuffed bags is off to the alfandegas for a secondary. That's in both GRU and GIG. I saw it every time through Customs going into Brasil. So, their, brasilian customs knows to hit brasilieros because they know that a lot of them are bringing back a ton of electronics, clothing and cosmetics, and they want to get duties paid on it. Is that racism, or playing the odds?
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Old Aug 13, 2014, 11:30 pm
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I love good coffee

I sometimes bring our favorite coffees when traveling to parts of the USA where the coffee may not be so good. But while you are in the USA you will have a chance to try many great coffees imported from all over the world. Depending on where you are traveling you may find
Blue Bottle
Intelligentsia
Spyglass
Ritual
Bird Rock
Four Barrel

etc etc.


So you will have no problem indulging all your coffee desires!

Last edited by squeakr; Aug 14, 2014 at 8:43 pm
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Old Aug 14, 2014, 12:00 am
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I have no problem to delivery the coffee to Switzerland. My bags went through BSL. I have to bring a coffee for my sister-in-law. That's why they want me to bring coffee, brakes, baby powder, and etc. The reason why my brother couldn't print it out a label. I have to sent a package to Switzerland, but he was unable to print a label. Post Office is very extremely expensive.
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Old Aug 14, 2014, 9:19 am
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@catocony

Thank you for raising these matters, I have the opportunity to say some things that many people not know about Brazil.

Let's talk about the law:

When a Brazilian traveling to another country it can bring a maximum of $ 500 in purchases. The problem, as you said yourself, are the high prices charged for things here (especially electronics and clothes) so most ends up going through the quota limit established by law.

The Brazilian citizen can declare everything was bought and pay tax on the excess of $ 500 and making it (ie acting within the law) usually still comes out cheaper than buying in Brazil.

Here comes the problem (remember I wrote that I disagree with much that happens here?): The Brazilian wants to be smart and always try your luck and pass through customs without declaring the excess.

The Brazilian goes to Miami to shop in outlets and reselling clothes here (practicing illegally imported without paying taxes).

Who lives in Miami, Orlando or even New Jersey, may have seen the number of Brazilians, a few even rude (I apologize for that), with bags and bags of clothes and other things.

Last year we went at New Jersey outlet and start a chat with the guy in Johnny Rockets hamburgers who asked to us, if in Brazil the people are rich....I didn't understand and he explained me that always see Brazilian people with a lot of bags and thought the people there are very rich. I took a Brazilian money and explain to him...no...1 U$ = 2,40 R$....and he show me a big face of surprised.

There is a law that Brazilians violates and the Customs knows it. So you've seen and ever will see the majority of Brazilians with their huge bags being inspected. Anything related to racism. Simple.

And then there is the other side where the Customs fiscal abuse their authority and apply values ​​they want on the products, even when the invoice is shown by the Brazilian citizen.

I do not know what the law for foreign entering their belongings, but I'm sure if anyone here come loaded with electronic equipment and new clothes for resale, will be held through customs.

The Customs know that the dollars / euros are welcome to economy. Disturb foreign tourists is stupid. But one thing is clear, if they have the opportunity to earn tax can be sure that will be done, after all we are known as the country of the taxes.

Sorry for my long text, possible with mistakes in language...i'm learning.

@Squeakr,

uau ! awesome. Thank you so much. I think in SF, SD and LA I'll find.

Tks guys.
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