Forums > General > General Forum

Maritsa

Oct 22, 2009, 5:01 PM

Post #1 of 7 (334 views)

Shortcut

Taking DVD player and DVD's to Mexico

Can't Post | Private Reply

I started a new thread because my questions about DVD's and shipping and my dog were getting all mixed together.
I went on line and purchased a region free DVD player. I told Timo about just taking 20 DVD's with him, but being the stubborn Mexicano that he is, he doesn't believe me. At the same time, he is muy listo, so he probably knows better than I do. He says he is going to ship his clothing ahead of time, so he doesn't have to haul a suitcase around, and take the DVD player and DVD's in his muchila.

I wrote in another thread that when we went to Mexico in 2006, we were stopped and our bags were inspected. They charged him $50 for our DVD player and DVD's that we were bringing with us. When it happened, I didn't know what the heck was going on and just let him handle it. I was a little scared with their attitude and manners, didn't know much Spanish, and was glad that Timo was with me. I asked him about it tonight and he explained to me that they were Policia de Transito. This was in Sonoyta. We had come from Tijuana, where we tried to exchange $1,000 for pesos. The guy told us that he didn't have enough to exchange $1,000, so we exchanged $500. Timo thinks that this guy called Sonoyta and told his buddy that we had US dollars. So when we arrived in Sonoyta, they knew we were coming and that we had dollars. The officer demanded $50 US dollars. Timo told him that "we are in Mexico now" we deal in pesos. The guy was pretty angry, threatened to make us leave the suitcase if we didn't pay. Timo told him he would call the police, and the guy finally settled for 500 pesos.

A couple of years ago, 3 of Timo's buddies went back to Chiapas. They flew to Tapachula via Mexico City. An officer stopped them and wanted $1,000 USD to give them their suitcases. He "accused" them of being Hondurenos. One guy showed him his ID proving that he was from Chiapas. He said he was just going home by way of Tapachula to Motozintla. The officer tore up his ID and continued to demand $1,000. Finally, one of the muchachos said he was going to call the police, and the guy let them go.

La Isla

Oct 22, 2009, 7:26 PM

Post #2 of 7 (310 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Maritsa] Taking DVD player and DVD's to Mexico

Can't Post | Private Reply

I'm not sure about this, Maritsa, but if Timo decides to ship a bunch of clothing to Mexico, he could end up paying more in customs duties than the clothing is worth. Maybe someone else here (calling Rolly!) knows more about this than I do.

Manuel Dexterity

Oct 22, 2009, 7:32 PM

Post #3 of 7 (306 views)

Shortcut

Re: [La Isla] Taking DVD player and DVD's to Mexico

Can't Post | Private Reply

Importing used clothing is prohibited unless it has a certificate of sanitation. New clothing has over a 50% duty.

La Isla

Oct 22, 2009, 7:42 PM

Post #4 of 7 (301 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Manuel Dexterity] Taking DVD player and DVD's to Mexico

Can't Post | Private Reply

In Reply To

Importing used clothing is prohibited unless it has a certificate of sanitation. New clothing has over a 50% duty.

Thanks for the info, MD. The second fact you mention must have something to do with why Land's End, my favorite catalog clothing store, does not ship to Mexico.

Maritsa

Oct 23, 2009, 6:03 AM

Post #5 of 7 (267 views)

Shortcut

Re: [La Isla] Taking DVD player and DVD's to Mexico

Can't Post | Private Reply

Thank you for the info. I believe what you are saying, not trying to argue. But we have sent boxes of used clothing in the past to Timo's family and they got it with no problem. Also, our friend sends boxes of sneakers to his niece, which he buys at the hotline store. He never said that there was a problem with her receiving them. Just wondering why.

Manuel Dexterity

Oct 23, 2009, 6:22 AM

Post #6 of 7 (262 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Maritsa] Taking DVD player and DVD's to Mexico

Can't Post | Private Reply

Maybe you were lucky. Used clothing is supposed to be sterilized for import. The warehouses on the US side of the border sell the stuff by weight and it has all been sterilized. People have posted that used clothing has either been confiscated at the border or they paid a nice bribe to get it thru customs.

Google these words: <ropa usada mexico aduana> and you get returns like this:

" A diario, personal de la Aduana Fronteriza de Nuevo Laredo asegura ropa usada a peatones que intentan introducirla a territorio mexicano aún cuando está prohibido, así lo manifestó Carlos Gómez Unda."

http://www.ultimahora.com.mx/index.php?n=19164

Reefhound

Oct 30, 2009, 8:30 AM

Post #7 of 7 (169 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Manuel Dexterity] Taking DVD player and DVD's to Mexico

Can't Post | Private Reply

We live in Houston and about every two months ship a big box of used clothes and shoes to Celaya for relatives. We use a cardboard box about the size of an old bulky 25" TV, cram it full, and tie it up with sisal rope. Weighs about 100 pounds. Take it to one of the Mexican buses and pay about $40, they throw it under the cargo hold, and the relatives pick it up the next day. It always gets there. If you've never ridden these buses, they usually "pass the hat" approaching the border, pay someone, and avoid inspection. A few times, depending on who is working or current politics, everyone has had to deboard and take their bags through a scanner. Not sure what happens to the paid "cargo" these times but like I said, it always gets there.