I think someone on qgl worked for customs... so ill ask the question. What will i be taxed on bringing in spirts?

I declared 4 bottles last time and got stung $100. but not sure if it goes on the value of the bottle, % of the bottle etc.

http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=4352 doenst give me much help.

1 Bottle only I believe, under 1.25l ?

% I don't think matters.

Anymore than 1.25 liters you will get charge for the whole lot. So if you bring in 2 liters you will get charged for the 1.25 you could of brought in free aswell.

I think you'll find it goes on the value of the bottle thus stopping people from bring in say 2 liters of wine that maybe worth $2,000 yet only paying some arbitrary predetermined rate.

I know when my ex was with customs at brisbane international they had access to all the rates for everything you could imagine. I know that sounds obvious but they can easily tell the difference between things that are a couple of dollars or a few thousand dollars.

last edited by Taipan at 11:37:40 28/Jan/09

There are limits specified in the air ports. I think it is less than 1.5L

But still most of the customs officers have common sense if you are slightly over then they wil lnot care.

4 bottles though is a fair bit over.

What do you mean by 'unaccompanied' ?

I'm pretty sure if you're flying into Australia the limit is 2.25L. I always pick up two bottles when I come through.

Always got my 2x1L and the little hip size at the check out!

There are limits specified in the air ports

duty free laws are for accompanied. unaccompanied means posting / shipping the stuff in. ill keep googling.

If you are entering Australia and have an Australian passport just stick whatever you want in your bag and don't declare it. Chances are sooo low of someone opening it.

If you are ordering it just don't declare it or purchase from a company that will say its something else. If customs seize it you don't get in trouble just need to order more cheap booze.

border security! danger to local wine import/export business! theyre protecting strayaaaaa

Ross has this sussed...

it's cheaper to buy booze from cheapie websites than locally.

...however I like my Heineken stirred, not shaken

Unaccompanied / shipped: I remember looking this up when trying to import some rare spirits from the U.S. At first I went looking into trade agreements, but the new FTA - at the time wasn't finalised. Info is in DFAT though, in the Acts, and from what I recall it's based on volume, percentage alcohol content and I think also what classification (wine/other, I think). This goes on top of a customs rate, and on top of shipping, & it ended up like 150-200% increase in cost. In the end I had it flown over with someone.

Another time I brought 3 bottles in from O/S, and 'forgot' to declare one that had accidentally fallen into a hidey hole and surrounded by deodorant/repellant cans that coincidentally made it harder to see on x-ray. (I did get pulled up for not declaring my Cadbury chocolate bar in the outer pocket though).

(I did get pulled up for not declaring my Cadbury chocolate bar in the outer pocket though)

Funny. I've been through customs countless times and never once, did they care about chocolate, biscuits or chips.

Hah when i last came in i was waiting in baggage for my bags to come through when a lovely cute little dog came along and sat beside me.. He was so cuuute so i gave him a pat and a back rub only to be tapped on the shoulder by customs wanting to search me... they didn't bother searching me when i told them a) i had an aussie passport and b) i said a cat crapped and pissed allover my bag (it did.. stupid hostel cat


Sooo in conclusion I think customs is still pretty slack here in aus and you'll be able to get in whatever you want.. I know the 'gift' tag on presents still works when i got some camera stuffs the other week...

^ I had the customs dog give a good sniffing to my duty free alcohol but the guy just pulled him away to search my bags - that said he made me take off my backpack and let the dog sniff it.

per person, you are permitted to bring in 2.25L of spirits in Aus but you have to declare it.

However, border security is a crock of s***. I have just finished drafting a letter to Customs after returning from Vanuatu recently. 3 flights landed at Bris Int and there were over 400 people, and guess what - 4 customs agents. Anyway those who declared, around 100, had to wait over an hour whilst the other 300 odd people who didnt declared were told, and get this, to walk around the side and they were fine. All i had was a neclace and a photo album from my honeymoon. What Border Security???

flying from amsterdam->london->seoul->brisbane my mate had a joint in a test tube in his bag the whole way. (they sell them like that over there)

we got home and he said oh f*** i left this in my bag.

nothing ever happened.

good work international customs workers.

They aren't really setup to find one dweebs joint d*******

ja, ive found contraband in my pockets before, oops.

per person, you are permitted to bring in 2.25L of spirits in Aus but you have to declare it.

again, thats accompanied. found what i was after...

What is wine equalisation tax?
Wine equalisation tax (WET) is a value-based tax which is applied to wine consumed in Australia. It applies to assessable dealings with wine (unless an exemption applies) which include wholesale sales, untaxed retail sales and applications to own use.

The WET rate is 29 per cent of the wholesale sale value.

last edited by mooby at 09:11:52 30/Jan/09