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any expereince getting things confiscated at immigration?

 
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Keepongoing



Joined: 13 Feb 2003
Location: Korea

PostPosted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 12:06 am    Post subject: any expereince getting things confiscated at immigration? Reply with quote

i was in the Philippines and had bought 6 movie DVD's from a street stall (no porn). Anyway as i went through immigration in Manila they searched my carry-on and confiscated the dvd's. They said that they were pirated. When I explained that these are sold in all the stores they said that they were legal with the Philippines but could not be taken out of the country. They recorded my passport number and name in thier messy logbook. They were quite friendly and told me not to do it again as it breaks international laws. Funny thing is that in both the Philippines and Thailand I had taken them out before and no one said anything. Well I hope this doesn't come and bite me in the butt later.
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HapKi



Joined: 10 Dec 2004
Location: TALL BUILDING-SEOUL

PostPosted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 3:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Entering Korea one time with a couple friends. Just returned from Bejiing, and them purchasing some of those metal swords. Not the forged steel kind, but still fairly hefty and able to do damage. Checked one guys bag and confiscated it. Didn't check the other guy's. He got a big kick about that all the way home.

I once bought some foam coated num chucks in Thailand. Was stopped at customs and asked what they were. I twirled them around a bit and said 'practice toy." They let me keep them.

I've brought new golf clubs (with receipt), goat horn, deer horn, cheese, cheeseburgers, diamond rings, cheap Shanghai DVD's and other things and not been checked. Really hit or miss.
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dogshed



Joined: 28 Apr 2006

PostPosted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 7:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Assuming they check what can I bring in?

If I declare it then that means I must pay a tax?

When came to Korea I asked if I needed to put my
laptop on the form and the customs agent said no.

I just don't understand.
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ttompatz



Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea

PostPosted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 7:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

dogshed wrote:
Assuming they check what can I bring in?

If I declare it then that means I must pay a tax?

When came to Korea I asked if I needed to put my
laptop on the form and the customs agent said no.

I just don't understand.


Personal effects of a foreigner brought in by the foreigner on his arrival and for personal use and are expected to be taken out of the country again on his departure are not subject to duty.

Items imported for consumption, sale or remuneration and in EXCESS of the duty free allowances are subject to duty.
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Catt



Joined: 16 Apr 2007
Location: The land of OZ

PostPosted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 8:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Definitely hit and miss, a friend brought firewater back from China and they confiscated it. But it is sold here. Still can't figure out why it was taken. Meanwhile I just say I have nothing to declare when asked and they have never stopped me yet, and probably should have declared a couple of things last time, but would have had to pay tax on it cause I was over my limit with alcohol.
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AylaZ



Joined: 30 Jan 2007

PostPosted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 4:23 am    Post subject: swords Reply with quote

I came back from Beijing few yrs ago and they confiscated my couple of knives/sword things. I was spewing a whole lot of carry on as u can imagine. My bag was tagged with a beeper so got stopped at customs. BUt apparantly they auction them off like 3 mths later the bastards. No one told me but for a price 30000 ? I could of just pd and taken them.
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gyopogirlfromtexas



Joined: 21 Apr 2007
Location: Austin,Texas

PostPosted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 10:26 am    Post subject: dvds Reply with quote

I have a lot of backed up dvds I might want to bring for those boring days. I started backing up everything after I got robbed and they took all my dvds. I was pissed off as hell. At least I have a backup, if that happens again. You are allowed to back up one copy. But if I put it in a dvd binder book thingy, are they going to look at the titles one by one? Should I flip it inside out to the purple side, so they don't look at the titles? I also have 300 avi files of movies I haven't even seen and want to bring them, but don't want to risk having them taken away. I am thinking of flipping them inside out so they see the purple side and can't see the titles.
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gyopogirlfromtexas



Joined: 21 Apr 2007
Location: Austin,Texas

PostPosted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 10:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Also, will I go to jail or pay a fine for bringing porn? I will bring some titled " discovery channel" because I didn't want to write porn on it, but now that I think about it, what if they want to take it away because it could be copyrighted? But it's really porn, if I come to arguing with them for what it really is, are they gonna watch it to prove it? And I get in trouble? How can I hide the dvds? I was also thinking of putting them upside down on a spindle and just maybe try to say they are blank dvds.
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Keepongoing



Joined: 13 Feb 2003
Location: Korea

PostPosted: Sat Jun 23, 2007 12:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

gyopogirlfromtexas wrote:
Also, will I go to jail or pay a fine for bringing porn? I will bring some titled " discovery channel" because I didn't want to write porn on it, but now that I think about it, what if they want to take it away because it could be copyrighted? But it's really porn, if I come to arguing with them for what it really is, are they gonna watch it to prove it? And I get in trouble? How can I hide the dvds? I was also thinking of putting them upside down on a spindle and just maybe try to say they are blank dvds.


huh, aren't you a girl? Do girld look at porn? I am shocked Surprised
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dogshed



Joined: 28 Apr 2006

PostPosted: Sun Jun 24, 2007 8:26 am    Post subject: Re: dvds Reply with quote

gyopogirlfromtexas wrote:
I have a lot of backed up dvds I might want to bring for those boring days. I started backing up everything after I got robbed and they took all my dvds. I was pissed off as hell. At least I have a backup, if that happens again. You are allowed to back up one copy. But if I put it in a dvd binder book thingy, are they going to look at the titles one by one? Should I flip it inside out to the purple side, so they don't look at the titles? I also have 300 avi files of movies I haven't even seen and want to bring them, but don't want to risk having them taken away. I am thinking of flipping them inside out so they see the purple side and can't see the titles.


Put them all on a portable harddrive.
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juliebaas



Joined: 19 Aug 2006
Location: Somewhere near Seoul

PostPosted: Mon Jun 25, 2007 12:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here is what I have been trying to figure out. How much alcohol can I bring back from the good old USA? I am going home for two weeks and really want to bring back at least 6 bottles of my favorite wine, to Korea. Can I do that or will it get confiscated? Do I have to pay extra? I have not been able to find an answer and would soo appreciate help. Thanks.
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itaewonguy



Joined: 25 Mar 2003

PostPosted: Mon Jun 25, 2007 12:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

juliebaas wrote:
Here is what I have been trying to figure out. How much alcohol can I bring back from the good old USA? I am going home for two weeks and really want to bring back at least 6 bottles of my favorite wine, to Korea. Can I do that or will it get confiscated? Do I have to pay extra? I have not been able to find an answer and would soo appreciate help. Thanks.


immigration requirement is 2 litres per person!
anything more than that you will have to pay tax..
of course thats it you declare it.. Wink
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xox



Joined: 11 Jun 2006
Location: Bundang

PostPosted: Thu Jun 28, 2007 10:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

i have a gayageum i want to bring back to Canada. i will be returning to Korea after my visit so I'm wondering if I will have problems bringing it to Canada and back out?
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hugo_danner



Joined: 21 Jun 2006
Location: korea

PostPosted: Thu Jun 28, 2007 11:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

juliebaas wrote:
Here is what I have been trying to figure out. How much alcohol can I bring back from the good old USA? I am going home for two weeks and really want to bring back at least 6 bottles of my favorite wine, to Korea. Can I do that or will it get confiscated? Do I have to pay extra? I have not been able to find an answer and would soo appreciate help. Thanks.


Lush!
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Tiger Beer



Joined: 07 Feb 2003

PostPosted: Fri Jun 29, 2007 12:28 am    Post subject: Re: any expereince getting things confiscated at immigrat Reply with quote

Keepongoing wrote:
i was in the Philippines and had bought 6 movie DVD's from a street stall (no porn). Anyway as i went through immigration in Manila they searched my carry-on and confiscated the dvd's. They said that they were pirated. When I explained that these are sold in all the stores they said that they were legal with the Philippines but could not be taken out of the country. They recorded my passport number and name in thier messy logbook. They were quite friendly and told me not to do it again as it breaks international laws. Funny thing is that in both the Philippines and Thailand I had taken them out before and no one said anything. Well I hope this doesn't come and bite me in the butt later.

Manila is a TOUGH airport.. Seoul is not.

I often travel on one-way tickets.. Manila's immigration was the only airport in the world that made me buy a flight going out before they'd actually let me in.
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