Declaring merchandise going into Mexico

Parrothead Pescador

Parrothead Pescador

Guest
Does anyone have any experience or recommmendations about wether or not to declare a large item I am bringing Puerto Penasco? I just bought a dishwasher and am bringing it down to install in my remodeled kitchen. I have been back and forth 6 times since Thanksgiving and never been stopped or questioned, but am a little nervous having read they can confiscate or fine you twice the value.
 
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lagrimas85

AKA Carnac
I would declare it, only because if you dont they have you over a barrel if they see it and will probably milk it to the max, because it is legally considered contraband until it is declared. The tax is probably cheap anyway. I had one of Roberto and Dee's customers call me about 9 oclock one night he had tried to cross a generator for a small house without declaring it, when they had him for that, they found a check to me when they searched his pickup. They took the pickup and were taking him to jail when I got to the border. They let him go after paying the tax on the generator, a fine and tax on the check. It's not worth it. By declaring it, it levels the playing field and its a negotiation, by not declaring it, it is 100% in their favor what they do to you.
 
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Roberto

Roberto

Guest
That's good advice. The probability of getting stopped may be low but the severity of the consequences can be very high. I believe that the Mexican customs have become much more vigilant. Make a hard left at the border, cross the outgoing lane and park. Go into the small building between the lanes, smile and show a reciept, pay the tax and relax. US folk are accustomed to crossing with whatever they want and no problems, it's sort of a game. Even if you manage to sneak by at the border they might get you as you exit Sonoita where they have been operating an inspection point more frequently. That has happened to 2 people I know recently who had to return to the border. One was crossing 2 bags of dog food and she had to turn around go back to the border and leave it at Gringo Pass, then recross.
 
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lagrimas85

AKA Carnac
They are getting tougher, I got to the border one morning with a trailer load of fence pipe, because of the quantity they wouldn't let me pay the tax, so I tried it the other way and that didn't work so I wound up driving to San Luis and crossed it there.
 
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Shelquilts

Guest
So, this is the second reference to dog food not being allowed across the border. Why is that? Can you take some if you have your dog with you?
 
playaperro

playaperro

El Pirata
Yea I had a guy try to cross my pool table and he got the red light, I was running about 5 min behind him. I had some stuff I was going to declare so i pulled to the side and went into the shack. He said he's the guy that sold me the table I had given him a receipt for 5 hundred bucks and he pulled it out and said he did not know
the import laws. They were going to keep his truck and keep the table. So he was lucky he only paid 25% on $350 after some begging. I slipped the guy a fifty and we
were shooting pool the next day.
 
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lagrimas85

AKA Carnac
playaperro said:
Yea I had a guy try to cross my pool table and he got the red light, I was running about 5 min behind him. I had some stuff I was going to declare so i pulled to the side and went into the shack. He said he's the guy that sold me the table I had given him a receipt for 5 hundred bucks and he pulled it out and said he did not know
the import laws. They were going to keep his truck and keep the table. So he was lucky he only paid 25% on $350 after some begging. I slipped the guy a fifty and we
were shooting pool the next day.
Click to expand...
Believe it or not they sometimes do have a full impound yard, I asked them one time if they auction the vehicles, they dont, they crush them.
 
playaperro

playaperro

El Pirata
Bill what I can't hide I declare and i am glad to pay the fee's. Since I am a national I pay less than norte americanos. Hey you remember when tom's daughter got
thrown in the pokey?
 
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JimMcG

Guest
After almost never recently being stopped going into Mexico, I was surprised last Friday to be stopped along with eveyone else in line.
 
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lagrimas85

AKA Carnac
playaperro said:
Bill what I can't hide I declare and i am glad to pay the fee's. Since I am a national I pay less than norte americanos. Hey you remember when tom's daughter got
thrown in the pokey?
Click to expand...
Yeah, for checks that weren't her's. That would screw up a mail pickup service.
 
Roberto

Roberto

Guest
Lagrimas sez : Believe it or not they sometimes do have a full impound yard, I asked them one time if they auction the vehicles, they dont, they crush them.

As you approach Sonoita from Pensco look ahead,to your left on the side of the hill you will see what appears to be a large junk yard. When Ana and I were searching for an engine for her brother we went there to inquire. That's an Aduana storage and no they don't sell stuff from there.
 
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GringoZona

Guest
isn't there a junk yard on the right as well, on your passenger's side? going towards the border, leaving mexico, just after that last hill and the speed limit drops dramatically? i can't see the one on the opposite side (driver's) of the road in my head, though at that point i'm usually looking out for speed traps.
 
Roberto

Roberto

Guest
Yes, a regular junk yard on the right hand side. The Aduana yard is off in the distance, on the side of the hill. Might be right on the border.
 
dmcauley

dmcauley

Guest
I have declared dog food for many years as "personal use for my animals" and also as charitable donation to caregivers of animals. Learn a little spanish and be very polite and usually there are not any problems.
Lannette got stopped because some of the mail she had contained those bogus checks that the finance companies mail and the total was more than twenty thousand dollars. It was cleared up very quickly.
 
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