Buying cigarettes in Gib, what are the limits for bringing back to UK

Hi,

We are going to Fuengirola for a couple of weeks and always bring back cigarettes for a friend, we are not smokers ourselves and are always unsure of just how many are for Personal Use, we are under the impression that if bought in Spain then no questions are asked by the UK customs if you stick to this amount.

We are going to Gibraltar for a days sightseeing and have been told that the cigs in Gib are a lot less than in Spain but that you cannot bring back more than 200 into the UK if bought in Gib???

Can anyone shed any light on this please.

Thanks

Kelju

Yes.  Gibraltar is not a part of the EU therefore the duty free allowance of 200 per person is all that is allowed.

There is no limit (although customs will have to be satisfied that they are for personal use) for tobacco products from Spain as it is a part of the EU.

Customs do issue guidelines on allowances purchased in the EU. They are 16 cartons of ciggarettes or 3kg of rolling tobacco. You can bring more than this but you might have some explaining to do to try and convince them they are for personal use.Remember that in no way can the be exchange for payment.

ask you MP to put on expenses and you will be fine

Two questions then...

Given that Spain is part of the EU would Spanish customs at the Gib/Spain border actually allow you to cross the border with more than the 200 per person?

Given that a pack of 200 Marlboro 100's costs just 31 Euros in Spain is there actually much of a saving to made by buying in Gibraltar?

Last time I bought 'duty frees' the Spanish duty paid version was still cheaper...

just a thought...

fb

Hi

Cigs are a lot cheaper in Gib around £10-12 per 200, and yes if you are caught at the border with more than 200 they will be confiscated

We were there recently and bought 200 to take back to Spain, we were stoped at the border and our bag searched, along with the Gib cigs we also had a couple of packets of spanish(same brand) that we took into gib with us. The guardia officer was going to confiscate the lot until a more understanding female officer pointed out that the two odd packets had the Spanish sticker on them.

Steve

Team GB

200 per person. It is cos the spanish are always smuggling american cigs. Why dont you take along some non smoking friends and use their quota.

Sorry forget to say that from a european country I believe its unlimited. That does not include Gib.

Myra

Yes 200 per person from gib

Trying to give up !!!

Steve

Thanks all for the replies, that clears it up for me, I think I will be buying the Cigarettes in Spain.

Kelju

there are many differing thoughts here, the fact of personal consumption being the largest "grey" area,

uk customs will allow 3600 (18 x200 cartons) for personal consumption from the eu

i am guessing that that would break down as 17x200 from Spain at circa 28-31e per carton and 1x 200 from Gib at 13-14e

if flying out of Gib they are ven cheaper!

I nearly got arrested a year or two ago.........tried to bring 6 packs of 200 off Gib got them all confiscated by a rather nasty Spanish customs man with a big gun. Didnt argue !!!!!!!!

There are no signs up anywhere about your limits that I saw......pity the shop that sold them to me was not a bit more helpful but they got a sale ( the last one ) from me.

Oh and by the way the cheapest place to buy cigs in spain is at a Tabac.........and most of them do not take any form of plastice for payment so take cash.

Hi

Advisor

Do you happen to know how much rolling tobaco is deemed ok for personal consumption?.

Richard4848uk

On the Costa del Sol a Tabac is about the only place you can buy cigs now, you might see the odd machine here and there.

Steve

If you visit Gibraltar from Spain then you can only bring back into Spain, 200 cigsrettes or equivalent in tobacco.  There is also a limit on wines and spirits.  The Spanish border guards will confiscate any 'extras'.  On the same thread if you buy electrical gods in Gib, ie a digital camera or other easily portable piece of electrical goods, then the shop will suggest you take it\them out of the box and take it through customs, slung around your neck. I forget the limit but always keep the receipt.

Although there is no limit to the amount of tobacco and alcohol you can bring to the UK from another EU country, the customs officials will become suspicious and ask to you to prove that the items are for your personal use.  The do have a "recommended" amount which they will allow and that is:

• 3200 cigarettes
• 400 cigarillos
• 200 cigars
• 3 kg of smoking tobacco
• 110 litres of beer
• 10 litres of spirits
• 90 litres of wine
• 20 litres of fortified wine e.g. port or sherry

As Gibraltar is not a part of the EU, the allowances are:

• 200 cigarettes, or 100 cigarillos, or 50 cigars, or 250g of tobacco
• 4 litres of still table wine
• 1 litre of spirits or strong liqueurs over 22% volume; or 2 litres of fortified wine, sparkling wine or other liqueurs
• 16 litres of beer
• 60cc/ml of perfume
• £300 worth of all other goods including gifts and souvenirs

For those of you unsure which countries make up the EU:
The EU countries currently include: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus (Greek part), Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Irish Republic, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain (but not the Canary Islands), Sweden and the United Kingdom (but not the Channel Islands

However, there are some restrictions to these limits from the newer EU countries:

From Estonia - 200 cigarettes or 250g of smoking tobacco
From Bulgaria, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia - 200 cigarettes

Hope that clears that up. 

lol lots of different answers on this? which is correct :)

Quote: Elle2009 : "lol lots of different answers on this? which is correct :)"

Bobaol is correct.

Team GB

think Boboal got it right for baccy, brother in law is in cid at Dover so comes across "professional importers" regularly!

Can confirm it is 3,600 fags

Gib most certainly is in the EU.  But it's outside the Customs Union.

200 Embassy Number 1's in Gib 17 Euros, the same in Fuengirola 31 Euros.  Managed to get 600 in Gib (there were 3 of us) and 2600 in Fuengiroal making up my allowance of 3200.

Notices in the Tabac in Fuengirola advising of total allowance of 3200 for personal consumption, all cigs packed into 2 cases with clothes etc. no one batted an eyelid in customs on our return to the UK.

Kel