We generally bring back a few cartons of cigarettes from SXM, always declared them and never have been charged any duty on them. We brought back 4 cartons this trip, 2 over the 'free' allowance. We declared them and the customs guy said "You know the duty is $10 per carton?" We actually didn't know that. We always thought it was 10%. It didn't matter that much, they are still cheaper, even with the duty, which is what we told him. He said OK and just let us go. We looked it up, as we thought it was a percentage, but it turns out he is right..
Duty info

Just thought I would let people know, who probably thought as we did.

I brought back 10 cartons this past march, claimed them all, customs at JFK asked if they were all for me, said yes, and passed on through...have yet to be charged, thank goodness......even IF duty charged, still a whole lot cheaper than the $140+ here in NY!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" />

Shelby,

Yikes!!

Did I understand you correctly? Cigarettes are $140.00 for a carton in NY. Wow! I had no idea.......

Many years ago, when we were younger, both my DH and I smoked and I allowed $5.00 a week in the grocery budget each week for two cartons of cigarettes, and about every third or fourth week we didn't have to buy them so we were $5.00 to the good that week.

Yikes is right!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" />...why i bring home as many as i can, as well as for a friend..I quit for 3 years, just started up again, talk about stupid!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />..and yes, elizabeth, i know, as well as everyone who smokes, what a nasty, unhealthy habit it is...but i'm sure you have NO unhealthy habits!!? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

It used to be 10% of sale price. Don't know when it changed.

Agreed, that's why I posted it. The page that I linked to is dated 2013, so I guess it's been at least that long. We actually thought the guy was wrong, which is why I looked it up.

And again, not posted for the sake of encouraging anyone to smoke, or do anything else, but for information sake.

Before I quit smoking,I used to bring back at least 15 cartons and never got charged duty.

We have always exceeded our legal amounts of cigarettes and alcohol on our return from SXM. I have always listed everything on the declaration form and only once was I ever even questioned about being over the limit. Generally we are far below the allowable personal exemption for returning merchandise and have never paid any duty on anything. I guess honesty is a good policy and all that paperwork is not worth the few dollars they will collect.