Beware: A real dumbass question

In a couple of weeks I will be travelling to Washington DC with a couple of bottles / magnum of champagne that I am buying at LHR DF. To avoid wasting about Ł100, are the customs guys at Dulles going to take my bottles off me because I am not 21 yet? I know the Americans can be quite anal when it comes to underage drinkers, as I found out in NYC.

Or should I just wedge them in my carry on for the short trip through to the free world?

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'There are only two emotions in a plane: boredom and terror'
Orson Welles (1915–1985)

It's never happened to me personally, but I know loads of people who have had booze confiscated at various points of entry by customs officials because they are not 21 and trying to bring alcohol into the U.S. You can sneak it through or even mail it to yourself -- if you did something like FedEx overnight in a styrofoam wine container, you could feel pretty confident that it would arrive intact. It might save you some worry but add to another -- how badly FedEx would treat the bottle. If it's good stuff, I'd just try to get it through myself.

I would not take the risk...

They have every right to take it from you because you are violating US laws. They will know your age because they will have your passport... why risk it?

No need to give them reason to further detain you... those lines are detainment enough!

William

Just guessing here, but I'd say there's a 90% chance you'd have no problem.

The immigration folks are the ones that scrutinize the passport closely, but they don't care about your bags. The customs folks are the ones that care about your bags and what's in them, but they don't scrutinize passports until after they've determined that there is a reason for concern.

Neither immigration nor customs really cares a whole lot about matching up alcohol with over-21 year olds.

Having said all of that, the 10% chance you'd get busted by a random search would be enough of a deterrent to not try it. You'd probably get hassled for a while and lose your booze. Theoretically, the local cops could also write you a ticket (MIP - Minor In Possession), but you'd at the least be out the hundred quid.

The OMNI question here is why someone under 21 is buying good champagne. It'd make more sense if you were trying to smuggle in a case of cheap beer.

Keep in mind that for nonresidents, alcoholic beverages in excess of 1 liter are subject to duty and internal revenue tax.



[This message has been edited by Y_me? (edited 08-21-2003).]

I'm not aware of a connection between being a minor in the US and being without class.

I have brought in as much as 18 0.750liter bottles to IAD, declared, stood politely while the person multiplied 18x0.750xsome very small unit in US $ and then said " go away" on many an occasion.

I could not pass for underaged at most anywere.

The champagne is probably cheaper in the U.S., assuming you could get someone to buy it for you?

Realistically, unless your port of entry is located in the same state as your final destination, you should not have any problems.

This has been discussed extensively on some of the wine-related forums.