Haul From Havana With a Sad Story

[N_mirg]

I've been in Florida for the past 3 weeks housesitting for my brother as he works on an oil rig and his wife is spending a couple months with her family in Korea. Being that flights are so cheap from Ft. Lauderdale I decided to make a two day trip to Havana because why not. 

I arrived Monday afternoon, had all of Tuesday and flew back first thing Wednesday morning.

With the short duration I had, I was only able to buy what customs were in stock ... those being a bundle of Churchills by Yolanda and a bundle of Dalias by Alex. I of course was most excited about these as I had absolutely no clue what to expect and now feel foolish for not trying one while I was there....

My last stop was Hotel Habana Libre where they had an opened box of Lanceros with 22 left. I opted to purchase them all but was not given the box, leaving me with 72 individual cigars. The employees at the Libre LCDH refused to write me a factura despite my pleading as I was already at my limit of 50 undocumented cigars.

After getting no where with the employees I left hoping for the best when faced with Cuba's customs. 

Sure enough I was taken to a secondary room where everything was rummaged through and the customs agents decided I was not permitted to take any of the custom rolls. 

I'm still not sure why they had to take both because I would have been under the 50 ct. limit had they only taken 25 but it probably had to do with how angry I was...  

Regardless, I would do it again and I anticipate it in the near future but until then, if anyone has some customs they're willing to part with ... please let me know.   

[semifan1]

Damn dude no answer maybe somebody can chime in and explain?? That sucks ass big time.

[Sigaar]

Oops...misread the OP's post.

[NSXCIGAR]

Cuban customs limit is 20 customs or any loose or unboxed but branded cigars like your 22 Lanceros and 50 fully boxed, branded cigars without a factura. 

Sounds like you came in with too many customs and too many cigars. If the customs were bundled in 25s instead of 20s, which is odd, they're going to take them. You're lucky if they even allowed you to keep the 22 loose Lanceros. 

[Ryan]

That sucks that you lost so much.

I've never heard of those agents at the airport being that strict. I presume you had facturas for all the other boxes in the picture?

Usually, showing even one factura is enough to get you through.

You can usually get till receipts for the Yolandas, not sure about Alex. I know those receipts are not facturas but it would be something to show that they are not fakes bought on the street, which is what those agents are on the lookout for.

Best of luck next time. Remember, ask for till receipts for the custom rolls. There's no guarantee that it will work but it's something.

[madandana]

Bummer Dude. My condolences . Alex will write a receipt for customs.

[MaxG]

What is the reluctance for writing receipts based on?  Why isn't this a standard practice, or at least a "no problem" when it's requested?  I've heard so many people say they couldn't get receipts or they were like pulling teeth.

- MG

 

[Nino]

So sorry for you - you must have caught the "once-a-month " hard core customs shift ... like I did when having a marble Nacional asthtray in my carry on last month ( they didn't care about my cigars though ...)

What I don't understand is the attitude of Habana Libre LCDH not to write you an official factura for the Lanceros along with the box, but it confirms my negative feelings about that particular LCDH.

[Customsfan]

Wow. So sorry.   people bring back hundreds of custom rolls. Is it written any where the actual amount of unbanded cigars you can bring back?   Or is the limit just 50 loose sticks?

[El Presidente]

6 minutes ago, nino said:

What I don't understand is the attitude of Habana Libre LCDH not to write you an official factura for the Lanceros along with the box, but it confirms my negative feelings about that particular LCDH.

I wondered the same Nino.  

Sorry to hear of your pain N_Mirg.  

[canadianbeaver]

Pardon my ignorance, as I have never been there and this may be a really dumb question.

You have just pumped a pile of dough into Cuba. You are leaving. The customs are typical of the rollers and you have lots of other high end cigars from dedicated retail. Yes you are a day tripper.

But why make your life miserable? You are a great resource for the Cuban economy are you not?

[FatPete]

What a horrible experience-I feel so sorry for you.

Was everybody searched so brutally or did they just pick on one or two unlucky guys?

[BooRadley]

When I bought singles at a LCDH in Havana during a trip in March they didn't give a receipt but they did give a receipt for the boxes. Turned out the singles were all fake. Not sure if this is common. It was my first ever CC purchase so I was not very savvy.

[joelb401]

So sorry for you - you must have caught the "once-a-month " hard core customs shift ... like I did when having a marble Nacional asthtray in my carry on last month ( they didn't care about my cigars though ...)

What I don't understand is the attitude of Habana Libre LCDH not to write you an official factura for the Lanceros along with the box, but it confirms my negative feelings about that particular LCDH.

I just got back a week ago, the Havana Libre had a great selection, especially singles. ( The only place I found behikes) but the staff was pretty rude and customer service in general was pretty bad.

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[LLC]

When I bought singles at a LCDH in Havana during a trip in March they didn't give a receipt but they did give a receipt for the boxes. Turned out the singles were all fake. Not sure if this is common. It was my first ever CC purchase so I was not very savvy.

I avoid buying singles at any shop in Cuba unless they are customs for that very reason. I by boxes to bring home and 3 or 5 packs to smoke there.


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[Wonmotyme]

Ok. Ummm... I know I'm not the only one thinking "Who the hell is Alex, and who is Yolanda?" But I'll ask anyways.


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[havanaclub]

I avoid buying singles at any shop in Cuba unless they are customs for that very reason. I by boxes to bring home and 3 or 5 packs to smoke there.


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I still find it crazy that they sell fakes in reputable LCDH stores.



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[BolivarSmoker]

I avoid buying singles at any shop in Cuba unless they are customs for that very reason. I by boxes to bring home and 3 or 5 packs to smoke there.


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Alex and Yolanda are both rollers. Alex at the Hotel Comodoro and Yolanda next door at the Melia Habana.

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[BolivarSmoker]

Ok. Ummm... I know I'm not the only one thinking "Who the hell is Alex, and who is Yolanda?" But I'll ask anyways.


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Replied to the wrong post! See above!

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[oliverdst]

9 hours ago, N_mirg said:

 

I opted to purchase them all but was not given the box, 

I'm still not sure why they had to take both because I would have been under the 50 ct. limit had they only taken 25 but it probably had to do with how angry I was...  

 

"I opted to purchase them all but was not given the box, "

Another real box in the streets.

 

"but it probably had to do with how angry I was...  "

I understand but I am pretty sure it didnt help you.

[CanuckSARTech]

Sucks.

Habana Libre LCDH!!! 

 

 

[Bakerj]

The shop in the Habana Libre would not give me a factura period. They gave me the reciept from the register ansd said it was "official" what BS ,just ended up smoking everything I bought there during the trip. So sad about Yolandas churchhills , put my custom rolls 75 in my checked baggage no issues. Agent checked facturas on every box in my carry on and matched the type and datecodes.

[Wonmotyme]

Alex and Yolanda are both rollers. Alex at the Hotel Comodoro and Yolanda next door at the Melia Habana.

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Thank u so much. Now I feel like I'm in the loop.


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[CanuckSARTech]

7 hours ago, nino said:

So sorry for you - you must have caught the "once-a-month " hard core customs shift ... like I did when having a marble Nacional asthtray in my carry on last month ( they didn't care about my cigars though ...)

What I don't understand is the attitude of Habana Libre LCDH not to write you an official factura for the Lanceros along with the box, but it confirms my negative feelings about that particular LCDH.

 

7 hours ago, El Presidente said:

I wondered the same Nino.  

Sorry to hear of your pain N_Mirg.  

All the above understood and agreed with the Habana Libre...

But isn't it a LCDH rule that they're only supposed to write the official Facturas for boxes that are full and initially sealed upon purchase?  So, whether it was a 3-pack of tubos, a 10-box, a 25-stick semi-dressed box, or a 50-cab, they're only supposed to do the facturas for full boxes on purchase?  So, if you buy a partially picked-out-of box, those are not entitled to the facturas?

I thought that was, and has been for ages, the actual LCDH / Cuban gov't rule on what facturas are used for?

 

 

[RijkdeGooier]

Facturas leave a paper trail. 

You do the math.