$300 US Customs Fine for Undeclared Food?
Jun 18, 2019, 12:45 am
#256
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
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Speaking from experience. A friend of. mine was stopped at SFO for having some kind of beef jerky from Asia. He was also warned and they took his info also. On future trips, he always got an X at the APC kiosks and was sent to agriculture. even though he had nothing. So, IMO, your wife is in the system and could be targeted in the future.
ankit215:
Don't plan/book any short connections after your US port of entry airport.
Jun 18, 2019, 10:34 am
#257
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 3
Speaking from experience. A friend of. mine was stopped at SFO for having some kind of beef jerky from Asia. He was also warned and they took his info also. On future trips, he always got an X at the APC kiosks and was sent to agriculture. even though he had nothing. So, IMO, your wife is in the system and could be targeted in the future.
Will this also be the case for domestic travel? Do we need to arrive at the airport earlier than usual time before boarding our flight?
Last edited by TWA884; Jun 18, 2019 at 11:20 am Reason: Merge consecutive posts by the same member; Please use the multi-quote function. Thank you.
Jun 19, 2019, 7:53 am
#258
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: WAS
Programs: enjoyed being warm spit for a few years on CO/UA but now nothing :(
Posts: 2,507
So that means that although no penalty will be imposed but my wife will need to go to secondary screening every time we enter the country? For how long will this continue? I mean for how long will she be in the system and are there any other repercussions?
Will this also be the case for domestic travel? Do we need to arrive at the airport earlier than usual time before boarding our flight?
Will this also be the case for domestic travel? Do we need to arrive at the airport earlier than usual time before boarding our flight?
will not impact domestic US air travel at all.
Aug 20, 2019, 4:37 pm
#259
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 1
I accidentally lied...
I didn't realize my wife packed me a ton of dates when I came back to the US. I marked every box No and left no problem. I got home and started to unpack and found a big bag of fresh dates in my bag...that's actually happened every time I've come back to the US with various food items...tbf, one time I just forgot.
Aug 20, 2019, 11:02 pm
#260
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: LAS, SMF
Programs: Marriott Plat, Global Entry
Posts: 184
My friend’s experience as an agriculture violator in the USA was that he had secondary screenings upon reentry to the the USA for the next five years. But as there were no subsequent violations he is now treated like any other person now.
In the middle of the thread there is a mention of older Thai women bringing in fruit: those were likely chompoo. Unlike the Taiwanese guy’s photo, in Thailand they are pink, and in fact the word for pink in the Thai language is “the color of chompoo”. These are bland fruit with the texture of an apple but a much less sweet taste.
In the middle of the thread there is a mention of older Thai women bringing in fruit: those were likely chompoo. Unlike the Taiwanese guy’s photo, in Thailand they are pink, and in fact the word for pink in the Thai language is “the color of chompoo”. These are bland fruit with the texture of an apple but a much less sweet taste.
Jan 19, 2020, 8:56 pm
#261
Join Date: Feb 2013
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Twenty years ago I shoved a banana from my Paris hotel into my backpack thinking I’d be hungry. Completely forgot about it. On arrival in ATL, the agriculture dog went completely ballistic over my bag. After an hour of being detained and questioned, I was let go with a warning. I don’t even want to think about what would happen now, based on these stories!
Jan 19, 2020, 9:26 pm
#262
Moderator: Hyatt; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: WAS
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Twenty years ago I shoved a banana from my Paris hotel into my backpack thinking I’d be hungry. Completely forgot about it. On arrival in ATL, the agriculture dog went completely ballistic over my bag. After an hour of being detained and questioned, I was let go with a warning. I don’t even want to think about what would happen now, based on these stories!
Jan 19, 2020, 9:47 pm
#263
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, MLife Gold, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, Caesars Diamond, Amex Plat
Posts: 5,940
Something like this perhaps: Woman is fined $500 by customs officials for carrying an APPLE
Jan 7, 2022, 3:37 pm
#264
Join Date: Jan 2022
Posts: 1
Does verbal warning in US customs go under your records ?
I entered US, declaring that I don't have any food. A dog sniffed the sandwich in my backpack ( I was not thinking that I should declare a sandwich ) and I was routed to the inspection. In the inspection I was asked if I have any food in my suitcase and I replied no, since I did not put any food item in my luggage. But when the officer opened the luggage they found out that there were some sausage that were placed on my suitcase by my mother in law for the friends in US without my knowledge. The officer took them and told me that he give me warning this time and don't charge me 300$ . I did not sign any papers , however officer has the US customs form with all my information in it. So I am wondering if this warning with my information is added to the database and I should expect to have inspection every time that I enter US? Anyone had such an experience?
Jan 7, 2022, 9:25 pm
#265
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 38,410
I entered US, declaring that I don't have any food. A dog sniffed the sandwich in my backpack ( I was not thinking that I should declare a sandwich ) and I was routed to the inspection. In the inspection I was asked if I have any food in my suitcase and I replied no, since I did not put any food item in my luggage. But when the officer opened the luggage they found out that there were some sausage that were placed on my suitcase by my mother in law for the friends in US without my knowledge. The officer took them and told me that he give me warning this time and don't charge me 300$ . I did not sign any papers , however officer has the US customs form with all my information in it. So I am wondering if this warning with my information is added to the database and I should expect to have inspection every time that I enter US? Anyone had such an experience?
Jan 8, 2022, 6:15 am
#266
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Join Date: Sep 2003
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Posts: 33,539
You may get tagged for inspection in the future. You need to understand the definition of food, certainly. Your mother-in-law shouldn’t be allowed near any luggage.
Aug 13, 2022, 1:16 pm
#267
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Newcastle UK
Posts: 1,114
Hi. I've been having trouble getting a definite answer to my question regarding filling in the US customs declaration form. I'm bringing in items that are all allowable (I've checked all that on the CDC website). I can't seem to get the an answer that if I tick yes to brining foods into the US, and they're all allowable, do I need to itemise them all on the back of the form, or do I just tick yes, leave the back page blank and verbally explain to the officer at the desk what I'm brining in? I'm just brining in gluten free baked goods, some canned fish and chocolate. Also some sodas as I have other dietary restrictions. Oh and duty free alcohol within the standard allowance. Do the sodas need to be declared? Thank you.
Aug 13, 2022, 6:06 pm
#268
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: MSY
Programs: Delta Platinum/1MM, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 652
Hi. I've been having trouble getting a definite answer to my question regarding filling in the US customs declaration form. I'm bringing in items that are all allowable (I've checked all that on the CDC website). I can't seem to get the an answer that if I tick yes to brining foods into the US, and they're all allowable, do I need to itemise them all on the back of the form, or do I just tick yes, leave the back page blank and verbally explain to the officer at the desk what I'm brining in? I'm just brining in gluten free baked goods, some canned fish and chocolate. Also some sodas as I have other dietary restrictions. Oh and duty free alcohol within the standard allowance. Do the sodas need to be declared? Thank you.
Aug 14, 2022, 4:36 am
#269
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 852
Hi. I've been having trouble getting a definite answer to my question regarding filling in the US customs declaration form. I'm bringing in items that are all allowable (I've checked all that on the CDC website). I can't seem to get the an answer that if I tick yes to brining foods into the US, and they're all allowable, do I need to itemise them all on the back of the form, or do I just tick yes, leave the back page blank and verbally explain to the officer at the desk what I'm brining in? I'm just brining in gluten free baked goods, some canned fish and chocolate. Also some sodas as I have other dietary restrictions. Oh and duty free alcohol within the standard allowance. Do the sodas need to be declared? Thank you.
Aug 14, 2022, 4:41 am
#270
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Newcastle UK
Posts: 1,114
That's what I intend to do. All the foods I'm taking in I know are 100% allowed. My main question is do I just verbally explain what I have to the officer, or should I detail these items on the reverse of the form? It asks for value also. I can estimate but I won't have receipts for the gluten free bread and crackers etc!?