idea for avoiding taxes for canadians

[groundondown]

it seems like there are more than a few canadians here who are frustrated with our tobacco taxes ($180 for 1 kg in BC on provincial tax alone!). 
i was just thinking one way of avoiding this could be:
1. joe canadian knows sam american who lives near the us/canada border.
2. sam, as a visitor, is allowed to bring 200 grams of manufactured tobacco across the border every visit to canada.
3. so joe buys tobacco online and gets it mailed to sam at his address, who then takes it across the border and mails it to joe.
the canadians could reimburse the americans through paypal or through giving the american a couple packs of tobacco or something.  there are a few companies that offer free shipping within the united states with low minimum purchases, so that leg of the journey could be free, and then all that would have to be paid for is canadian postage and gas money for the american.
i realize 200 grams isn't much, but if someone was making the trip regularily anyways it might be worthwhile.
any thoughts on whether this would work or anyone have better ideas?

[Cold493]

I have the exact same issue.  I am kinda hoping to just find some place like a small middle eastern grocery store that has it cheap and/or under the table or something.  I thibk that is the best bet unless anyone here lives near the border.  I actually live really close to the US/Canada border and do alot of snowboarding in Vermont during the winter so I am hoping to maybe grab some while I'm down there if I can find a place in the middle of nowhere Vermont which is doubtful.  I really wish someone would just start selling the damn stuff with a company in Canada, there would still be the taxes I guess but I'm sure it might be abit cheaper than some stores.  I dont know, I got the same issue though.  You can risk getting it shipped but if it gets caught you end up losing money.

[cypress]

Nathalie, will have to answer the question of how to get it past
customs. The order that was recently places went well according to one
of a recent post.

[Nathalie]

Yes...I'm back (after I spent the lasatf ew days in  a daze just celebrating the beginning of my summer holidays:)) Basically the deal with Canada cutoms is: Any order under $20 is exempt from duty, any order under $60 is exempt if it's sent as a gift. Tobacco is usually not included in this BUT with small orders if they are declared as say molasses customs doesn't care to open them in my experience. So, I ordered from socialsmoke.com for under $20, asked them to declare it at price without shipping and as molasses which they did and had it shipped via USPS (since courier services always charge the brokerage fees and duty) which because of the discount socialsmoke gives to hookah members ended up being much cheaper then anywhere else (I think I paid $36 canadian for 500g of Al Waha, shipping included) and it went through customs no problem, no duties incurred.
So basically the bottom line is that if the order is sent as molasses, under $20 and mailed via USPS there is a very very good chance you will avoid paying any duties at all. That has been my experience with massel and my brothers with pipe tobacco. I'll be ordering from bnnimports soon and will let you all know how it goes

[Cold493]

Hmm Interesting.  I think I'm gonna give that a shot.

[groundondown]

i'm looking forward to hearing how the BNN Imports goes for you Nathalie.  i've been wanting to get my hands on some al-Fakher for a while.  please keep us up to date.

[vortexdr1]

Just wondering if you had any success with BNN Nathalie. Im in Montreal didnt't find any shops here which sell higher quality stuff so now looking into ordering from the states. But since Canadian customs are the anti christ im somewhat reluctent.

[Cold493]

vortex where in montreal do you go for massel?  I'm assuming all your getting is Nakhla, my friend grabbed it for me at a place near the guy-concordia subway stop and I picked it up on my way through montreal.  I'm in montreal fairly often during the school year and will be going there for massel.  Anyways I paid $20 for a 250gr pack of nakhla.

[SMOKE~N~BUBBLZ]

 
I am in australia, but one way i have found to get around customs is as such:
When you get the companies to send the massal, tell them to put on the package that it contains 16-18% tobaccoo and teh rest molasses. i have seen some nakhla boxes with that on it. Why should you have to pay tax for teh whole weight when only a small proportion is tobacco.
That seems to work here....maybe you can give it a try there.
 

[vortexdr1]

[quote name='Cold493']vortex where in montreal do you go for massel?  I'm assuming all your getting is Nakhla, my friend grabbed it for me at a place near the guy-concordia subway stop and I picked it up on my way through montreal.  I'm in montreal fairly often during the school year and will be going there for massel.  Anyways I paid $20 for a 250gr pack of nakhla.[/quote]
 
There are a bunch of places that sell Nakhla. Supermarket Akhavan is probally by far the best. Its on Sherbrook somewhat close to Cavendish. Anyway its an Iranian Supermarket so they actually have some decent stuff just not what i wan.
You can also try Al Safa on St.Laurant unfortunatly i dont have the address. Oh and if you go to either of those two make sure barter to get a bargain on the price. Thats more so for Al Safa but can also do it in Ahhavan. They are all used to it so will usually get you somewhere. Anyway hit up Akhavan they got some other stuff other then Nakhla not sure what brand it is but its decent.