Taking Cigars on Board
 

Hi,

I am not a big cigar smoker but I was given some nice ones including a cuban. I would like to take them home for the holidays and give them to people. Should I be concerned that they will be taken away from me at security?

Just curious, thanks.

R

I have never been worried, nor have had screeners worry about them either.

Only if the TSA agents are cigar smokers (or the cigars are from Cuba)...

AFAIK, only US Customs would be concerned about Cuban cigars, not TSA. If you are not flying in from outside the country, you should be OK.

Moving this to Travel Safety/Security.

iluv2fly
Moderator, UA

I think you underestimate the desire of screeners to earn Eagle Eye Awards. Taking Cuban cigars thru a TSA checkpoint, even on a wholly domestic flight, is just askin' for trouble. TSA screeners have been known to call CBP when they suspect passengers are carrying more than $10k, and one could easily notify an LEO if they suspected a Cuban cigar.

If you only have a few, take the Cuban band off and put the cigars in your jacket pocket.

True. What I would do if I wanted to bring a cuban cigar into the US or on a flight in the US is remove the band, as there isn't really a "cuban" test for tobacco. Some cigar stores in Canada actually will give you faux bands for your cigars, I've heard

of course not that I would ever do this as it would be illegal and wrong and stuff ;)

Well may be there is such a test. I got caught red handed by CBP for bringing in one box of Cuban cigars in its original packaging from Europe (BTW, that was the last time I did it, seriously) The agent told me I had a choice of either to destroy and dispose the cigars right there and then, or they would be send to a lab for testing to verify its origin. If they were not of Cuba origin, they would be return to me in three weeks. However, the cigars would be virtually destroyed during the testing process.

Putting them in the jacket pocket is no better than in the carry-on since they both have to go through X-ray.

It is NOT illegal to posses Cuban cigars in the USA, only to import them.

e.g. there are stores that still sell Cuban cigars that were in the country BEFORE the ban.

I've heard of aged cigars, but 45 years seems a bit extreme...:D

As a general rule, always switch bands, tubes, and boxes when flying with Cuban cigars, especially when returning to the US from elsewhere.

I never had a problem carrying them on in my luggage (even in original "Cuban" packaging) prior to 9/11, but there's no point in risking the loss of a fantastic cigar when you can easily avoid it.

no need to as i travel with banded cubans all the time within the u.s.

absolutely correct-only customs can sieze them from you and only when you are passing thru customs on your way into the u.s.. the tsa can go pound sand if they say they are gonna try and confiscate them.

If you're hellbent on keeping the original bands, just carefully slip them off the 'gars and stow them inside a book. Or just stick them down your bra ... either way.