How about fines for buying Cuban products? According to the
New York Post, the feds have just charged (August 1998) four
rich businessmen with illegally buying Cuban cigars in
violation of the Trading With the enemy Act. All face up to
10 years in prison. These hardened criminals were charged
following a federal undercover investigation.
" A taste for Cuban cigars ended up forcing four wealty,
high-powered executives to surrender yesterday to federal
authorities - who say the men blew up to $1,200 a month on
the smuggled stogies.
Edward Marron, Laurence Zimmerman, John Steinhardt adn
Kenneth Joseph were charged in Manhattan federal court with
violating the Trading With the Enemy Act by buying the
coveted cheroots from a woman smuggler-turned-informant."
Do a search on those four if you have further interest.
"Zimmerman was tape-recorded on July 30 buying 42 Boliver
Corona Gigante cigars....
Steinhart, Chase Manhattan's head of U.S. securities,
shelled out....(for) such banned brands as Cohiba Lanceros
and Montecristo No. 1 and 2, the complaint charges."
Some foreigners have advised U.S. citizens through posts on
The Lonelyplanet Thorntree to just ignore letters from the
Treasury Department. They seem to know EXACTLY what the U.S.
government CAN and CANNOT do! I don't know what U.S.
citizens would do if we didn't have foreigners like Bob to
tell us what our government is able to do to us.
Be sure to listen to Bob and our neighbor to the north,
Jean! They have great advice! Look back through this entire
thread to see the trend of their thinking.
[There are 5 posts - the latest was added on Fri 21 May, 12:17]
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GLC. Your story sounds pretty true to me, although these
guys haven't actually paid a fine or received a jail term
yet it would seem. Anyway, engage your brain comrade. Any
government can make a certain product illegal to import. In
most countries marijuana is illegal, but in Holland a small
amount is permitted. It just depends on the country in
question. If the US government wants to put a ban on Cuban
cigars that's up to them and well within their rights. But
you are missing the point entirely. These guys are in
trouble for trying to bring in a banned product, not for
visiting or spending money in Cuba. Get it now simpleton???
First, I am not your comrade, pinga de cabeza. Second, are
we to infer from your knowledge of the laws in Holland that
you are from that country? Third, you are beginning to see
the light just a bit when you acknowledge that the US
government is within its right to put a ban on Cuban cigars.
Perhaps you will eventually realize that they also have the
right to put a ban on travel through the prohibition of
spending dollars in a certain country. You are really
beating a dead horse pinga cabeza. I doubt that too many US
citizens will want to follow your imported advice. Tell us
about the laws of YOUR country, not those of the U.S.
Behave children, or we'll take away your play priviledges!
Seriously, can't we be abit more mature?
GLC. I'm not dutch. Just using it as an example. Your
government can put a prohibition on anything it likes I
suppose, but enforcing it is another matter. How can the US
government stop its citizens from travelling or spending
money in Cuba?? Have you read the other threads?? It is all
US government intimidation. I repeat for the hard of
thinking - people like yourself. NO, repeat NO US tourist
has had to pay a fine for visiting or spending money in
Cuba. Yes, this intimidation does put people off going to
Cuba, and yes, US citizens have been hassled by
customs/immigration officials after visiting Cuba, and some
have even received intimidatory letters. But none of them
has had to pay a fine. Your example above refers to
businessman who have been trading in, or have been bringing
into the US, a banned product.
Get it now bonehead??
And by the way, I can have and express opinions about
anything I like. Or has your government now put a
restriction on these as well?
Maybe this will clear up some misconceptions.
Be advised that I travel to Cuba frequently and have
consulted not only a attorney specializing in government
regulations but have also consulted with the treasury dept
myself. I am also a former customs agent. I travel with
copies of the Treasury Dept. regulations which state (I'm
paraphrasing) "A US Citizen may travel to Cuba as long as
it is on a non-Cuban carrier but may not exchange US
currency for any goods or services." In another section it
states "Importation of not more than $100 of Cuban goods,
not for resale, is permissible."
So how does this work? As an American you fly on a non-
Cuban aircraft e.g. A Canadian airline from Toronto. You do
not spend US dollars e.g. you are on a "fully funded"
package tour. You pay for nothing. [Yes, you give US
dollars to the Canadian travel agent, who then pays the
Cubans, most probably with US dollars -- no one said the
law was logical, it's just the law]
How do you end up with $100 worth of Cuban goods if you
can't spend USD legally? Well, they are gifts, and you
should have a letter from the giver so stating.
Customs /Treas. Dept. / State Dept. etc. are NOT going to
even think about messing with you. If they do get the names
of agents involved and you will have a field day in court.
If anyone wants the regs citations get back to me here and
I'll post them.
By the way to any Cubans who have problems with any of
this: the legally recognized Cuban gov't allows US citizens
carrying a valid US passport into their country. That's
their business. They allow the exportation of 100 Cuban
cigars (without documentation) and up to 250 with
documentation. Again,that's THEIR law. They don't have to
agree NOT to allow exportation.