Items You Cannot Get Through Customs

You do not want to put a damper on a trip abroad thatstarted off well by reviewing cheaptravel options, such as cheap airplane tickets, discount hotel rooms, cheap auto rentals, discounttravel deals, and cheap vacation packages, onlyto discover when returning that money spent on items you wanted to bring homeare confiscated at the border.

The following items are not allowed through U.S. customsfor reasons ranging from health, to complex economic or cultural factors:

• Absinthecontaining 10 parts per million or more of the chemical thujone is illegal tobring into the country. Be aware that typicallyabsinthe makers who emphasize the alcohols supposed mind altering propertiesare focused on taking tourists money. Make certain any alcohol you imbibe while abroad is thujone free anddoes not have the word absinthe or any psychotropic image on the bottle.

• Plantsand crafts made from plants must be presented to a customs officer forinspection. You will need a permit tobring in items like cut flowers with berries attached, nursery stock andseeds. Other fauna, such as noxious weeds(even when it has a harmless sounding name such as apricot cape tulip) arenot allowed. If you have a plant youwant to return to the U.S., apply for a USDA Plant Protection and Quarantinepermit online after first checking to see if it is prohibited.

• Ivoryincluding jewelry made from ivory requires a permit from the U.S. Fish andWildlife Service because of the Endangered Species Act. Antique ivory can be imported if specialdocumentation can be provided showing that it is over 100 years old.

• Ancientartifacts require an export permit in part because so many items have beenstolen from museums and churches. TheU.S. National Stolen Property Act prevents individuals from legally owning astolen item, regardless of how many people have since had it in theirpossession. An export permit from thecountry you are taking the item out of is required. You should check out of U.S. StateDepartments Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs website forinformation regarding what is not allowed.

• Meatbased products even in soup mix can introduce serious pathogens into the U.S.and spread diseases such as foot-and mouth, African fever, mad cow, and avianflu. The same is true for canned anddried meats.

• Souvenirsfrom Cuba (including its famous cigars), Iran, and much of Sudan are forbiddenbecause of economic sanctions placed against these countries. Exceptions to this rule include books,magazines, films, photographs, posters, art, and music as well as small giftsvalued under $100.

• Mostfruits and vegetables are forbidden. Onepiece of fruit carried onto a plane heading to the U.S. resulted in the greatCalifornia Mediterranean fruit fly outbreak in the early 1980s which cost thefederal government $100 million to eliminate. Failing to report produce at customs could result in a $300 fine.

• Designerknockoffs and cartoon character paraphernalia are subject to U.S. copyright andtrademark protections. You can bring inone item of its kind into the country, such as a pair of sunglasses, a purse,and a pair of jeans, so long as it is for personal use. Multiple fakes of the same item are notallowed.

• Cashin excess of $10,000 is not allowed. Smuggling bulk currency is an offense under the Bank Secrecy Act andsomething drug traffickers are known to do. Money orders, travelers checks, and foreign coins, not just paperbills, count as well. To bring in excessmoney, obtain a form called Report of International Transportation of Currencyof Monetary Instruments from a customs officer. If caught, you could face up to five years injail.

• SelectHaitian and African goat hide drums will be seized because the skins are nottreated properly and contain cutaneous anthrax. Ensure that your drum covers have been tanned which will result in thembeing non-infectious.