www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Hello Gentalmen.

First I would like to say thank you all for all your great information on the pleasures available in CR. I have just joined the site and have been reading and learning as much as I can in preperation of a future first trip to paradise. Thanks for all of your great insite.

Oddly my first question dosn't concern mongering or beautiful women.

I had noticed the mention of the availability of Cuban Cigars in CR. Are the cigars available and are you abel to legally transport them into the US as personal use? Say one or two boxes? I am not familiar with US customs regulations.

Thanks again for your help and insite..... I have got the itch to go in the near future.....

Apparition4u

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Interested newbie lurking and learning

Can not bring Cuban cigars to the US under any circumstance so you are safe with "Cuban Cigars" from CR they are made in Desamprados

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Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

Thanks D D, are they made from Cuban leaves or just labled Cuban? Do they have any value in the US?

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Interested newbie lurking and learning

Apparition4u

You can bring real Cuban cigars into the US, most of the places that sell them will put them into another box labeled as Costa Rican cigars. the will also give you the rings and the rest od the box.

Believe me, I have done it. with Cohibas robustos

There is a place here where the guy brings all the tabaco leaves directly form cuba.

Mente.

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Tico and Panama, let me know if you need any help down here.
Panamaexplorers.com

Your main problem will be that most of the so-called Cuban cigars you will be offered in Costa Rica will not be genuine Cubans. However, if you succeed in finding real ones, just follow the advice provided above: remove any labels or packaging indicating that they are Cubans, stick them in a generic cigar box, and you should experience no problems at customs.

Thanks Guys for the great info. I will look into it on my first trip.

Apparition4u

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Interested newbie lurking and learning

Apparition4u,

Bringing Cuban cigars into the US is about as legal as bringing Heroin in.
It's been illegal for about 40 years. Most Customs agents will just take them from you. I believe 95% of so called Cuban cigars in C.R. are fake.

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Una mas cerveza por favor!

The Tico at the duty free store at the Airport said it was legal to bring back Cuban cigars for personal consumption if they are in your shirt pocket.

The street sales guys encamped outside the Del Rey guarantee the cigars are real cubans.

There are a couple of "reputable" cigar stores in SJO. One is on the corner across from the Nashville Bar South. Another is down the hill from the Hotel Morazon toward the Presidente. The other is on the second floor adjacent to the Internet Cafe on Avenida Central down from the Presidente toward the NY Bar on the left.

You can buy very nice booze and cigars at the airport upon arrival at the duty free stores along the concourse toward immigration.

I have always just enjoyed while visiting and never tried to bring them back.

Especially with the way immigration and customs are operating under the Patriot Act these days. I hate it when you have to go to the room with a supervisor and hear latex slapping on the hand.

Hey I wonder if I can bring a tica back if she fits in my shirt pocket?

Cheers!

Triple FFF,

I actually thought your post was comedy until you gave some real info about decent cigar store locations.

"The street sales guys encamped outside the Del Rey guarantee the cigars are real cubans". Yes, these are the same guys who have virgin models from the "Todo Dar" show who will bang you for free. And those punks with the white lab coats who want to take your blood pressure to help save the sick Ch*ldren are really medical students. And I have a million dollar teak wood farm for sale but only $100,000 for you.

When you tell the customs agents that "the guy at the duty free shop said it's ok or the lowlife street vendors outside the Del rey said it's ok" please make a tape recording for me. Comedy on this board is always good.

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Una mas cerveza por favor!

Hey Gents,

Ok I went to the source. The US Customs Web site. Here is their ruling on import of Cuban Cigars..... Sucks......

"There is a total ban on the importation into the United States of Cuban-origin cigars and other Cuban-origin tobacco products. This prohibition extends to such products acquired in Cuba, irrespective of whether a traveler is licensed by Office of Foreign Asset Controls (OFAC) to engage in Cuba travel-related transactions, and to such products acquired in third countries by any U.S. Traveler, including purchases at duty-free shops. Contrary to what many people may believe, it is illegal for travelers to bring into the United States Cuban cigars acquired in third countries, such as Canada, England, or Mexico. "

"It is also illegal for U.S. persons to buy, sell, trade, or otherwise engage in transactions involving illegally-imported Cuban cigars. The penalties for doing so include, in addition to confiscation of the cigars, civil fines of up to $55,000 per violation and in appropriate cases, criminal prosecution which may result in higher fines and/or imprisonment"

Not pleasent but still not quite Herion.

So how do all of the High and Might enjoy their Cuban cigars here in the states so openly..... with a few dollars.....?

Thanks for the help,

Apparition

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Interested newbie lurking and learning

Apparition, its quite simple. Those of us on the Northcoast go to Canada, load up on Cubano cigars and rum, then drive back across the border. Never any questions asked.

Papa Nut

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The best revenge is living the good life!

C.R. Marcos

So you know its all comedy to me.

By the way, I make it a habit to be very polite and agreeable and, especially toward people with guns and badges. The alternative is not an option.

So any recorded conversations with anyone in immigration or customs would hopefully result in "Welcome home Mr. Triple FFF you may proceed through". With a sincere "Thank you Sir" in response.

Besides what's in CR stays in CR, that's what makes it all Fun

I am not a cigar smoker but I used to have a friend from Boston who lived in the Dominican Republic. He had a restaurant and humidor that he kept stocked with Dominican and Cuban cigars. He used to fly to Havana and load up on Cubans and bang as many chicas as he could in 2 days.

I asked him what the big deal was about Cubans. He said a lot of it was the prestige of having something off-limits. He also said they come in two types, harsh and harsher.

He also told me that Dominican cigars are grown from Cuban seeds. They are just as flavorful without so much bite and legal to bring into the U.S.

Since he knew I wasn't going to buy any I didn't have any reason not to believe him. Give them a try, you might find a legal alternative to Cubans.

Cigar smokers in South Florida have come to enjoy fine cigars from tobacco grown in Nicaragua from Cuban stock. The tobacco is brought to So. Fla. and handed rolled in small shops both in Tampa & Miami. The guys who roll the cigars are Cuban and some of the older ones rolled cigars in Cuba before emigrating to the US. I am not a cigar smoker but have heard that some of them are of excellent quality.

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Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

D.D.

Interesting you mention the Nicaragua Cigars…. I buy PERDOMO ESTATE SELECCIÓN® , LA TRADICION PERDOMO RESERVE® and LA TRADICION CABINET SERIES® from the Manufacturer here in Miami…. http://www.perdomocigars.net/

All are great smokes and very Popular here in South Florida.

Still waiting for my Bundle Of Joys from mi amigo T-Man… Last I heard he had something going down with a Little Lady in a Tin Shack rolling more than the Sheets…

Johnnie B.