South African Customs Cigar Import Duty

[rsd]

Note: I hope this doesn't violate the forum rule on discussion of shipping. I don't think it does and it's quite useful info. If it does violate rules, delete merrily Onward!

I feel violated.

I ordered a box of 10 RYJ short churchills - my first online order, so only 10 because I was testing the waters. They arrived and the duties were more than the cigars. Ouch.

I'm going to break down the calculation that SARS (South African Revenue Service) uses for cigars here, because it's info I have never seen anywhere else and will probably benefit someone (like me when I forget it):

Ok, first they weigh your cigars (out of the box). In this case the weight was 0.155kg. This is then multiplied by a fixed cost per kg of R2196.65 irrespective of what kind of cigar it is. That gives you the Excise duty.

0.155 x R2196.65

= R340.48 (Excise Duty)

They then take the cost in SA Rands for the cigars (in this case R481.00) and add that, + 10% + Excise:

R481 + R48.10 + R340.48

= R 905.58

They calculate VAT at 14% on the previous total

= R126.84

Then, finally they charge you the Excise and the VAT + a collection fee of R30 (but not that 10% that was added before calculating VAT - no clue what purpose that serves):

R340.48 + R126.84 + R30

= R497.32

Sliiiightly complicated, but good to know what you're in for if you're importing cigars into South Africa. This doesn't apply when you bring them in from your travels in a suitcase. In that case the first 20 cigars are duty free, any above that and you pay import duties, presumably calculated this way.

[Holysmokes]

.

Pretty complicated stuff for a simple scam/tax

[rsd]

Pretty complicated stuff for a simple scam/tax

Yeah its quite crazy. I think alcohol and tobacco are subject to "sin" taxes so you get really nailed. Does explain the price of single malt scotch here though!

[thechenman]

That's just crazy...governments around the world are just taxing their citizenry to death...it really is ridiculous.

[traded]

thats pretty lame...

I wonder if you can get some help from your vendor....if they dry box your cigars before sending (drop the humidity down to around 50%), you may end up with much lighter cigars and there is NOTHING illegal about it right?

d