Quote:
Originally Posted by zamler
But if you do have it shipped as a gift, that is your best chance to avoid unnecessary charges.
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It will also help you avoid seamless future border crossings in the case you get caught. Nothing quite like getting red flagged for mail fraud by US customs to make your life that much more enjoyable. You get a complementary full body pat down at every crossing and a nice thirty minute chat with the border officer! What a fantastic deal. Especially if you get booted back to Canada, it's nicer here anyway.
I'm often surprised at the risks some take to save a few bucks. I had a friend at work telling me about he brought an extra bottle of rum back from Cuba. All sneaky and that. Wow. Saved, what, $5 in duty? For what risk? That's one bad ass smuggler. But if he got caught? Red flagged for life. Sheesh. The guy travels four or five times a year and he's going to roll the dice on a $5 duty charge on some rum?
If the goods are manufactured in NA, they should be duty exempt. You'll still have to pay GST in all likelihood. Sometimes you end up paying nothing, it's kind of enigmatic that way. But declare it properly and pay the few dollars duty. I'm guessing you saved a bunch anyway.
Or support the local economy and buy it locally where it's unlikely they have some illegal working for $1.50 an hour packing your kit for shipment. Your freedom to chose of course.