Bringing In Coffee

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Mr Lee
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I wonder how many of you know it appears to be illegal to ship or bring in coffee to the PHL? I did not know until I got an email from a friend of mine who told me that someone he knew ordered some from out of country and it was being held in customs and the guy got a notice to report to customs about his coffee. I wonder if the guy will face a fine and or jail or just have to pay duties for his shipment because he was unaware of the law.HERE IS THE LAW REPUBLIC ACT NO. 2712 - AN ACT TO PROHIBIT THE IMPORTATION OF COFFEESection 1. The importation of roasted coffee beans, roasted ground coffee, instant or soluble coffee in powder form, extract or concentrate in liquid form or finished coffee products in any form, raw coffee beans of the robusta, excelsa and liberica varieties, is hereby prohibited: Provided, however, That the importation of raw coffee beans of the arabica variety shall be gradually reduced as follows: starting with and during the year nineteen hundred and sixty, only seventy-five per cent of the nineteen hundred and fifty-nine foreign exchange allocation of bona fide and legitimate coffee roasters shall be allowed; on the second year (nineteen hundred and sixty-one), fifty per cent; on the third year (nineteen hundred and sixty-two), twenty-five per cent; on the fourth year (nineteen hundred and sixty-three), ten per cent; and on the fifth year (nineteen hundred and sixty-four), complete banning: Provided, further, That in case of shortage of locally produced arabica coffee, the President of the Philippines, upon recommendation of the Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Chairman of the National Economic Council, may authorize the importation of the necessary quantity of raw arabica coffee beans to supplement the shortage. Section 2. Any person who violates this Act or who, being an officer or employee of the Government, violates, abets or tolerates the violation of this Act, shall be punished by a fine of five thousand pesos or imprisonment of five years, or both, at the discretion of the Court. In case the offender is an officer or employee of the Government, he shall, in addition, suffer the penalty of perpetual disqualification to hold public office and to participate in any public election. If the violation is committed by a corporation or association, the penalty shall be imposed individually upon the president, director, manager or managing partner, and other officials thereof responsible for the violation. If the violation is committed by or in the interest of a foreign juridical person duly licensed to engage in business in the Philippines, the immediate revocation of such license shall form part of the penalty to be imposed. If the offender is an alien, he shall, in addition to be penalty imposed by the Court, be deported within ten days after service of the sentence. Coffee imported in violation of this Act shall be confiscated by the Government and distributed to welfare and charitable institutions.

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Art2ro
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th_thholysheep.gif And we just brought back 4 bags of Star Buck coffee grounds from our vacation! We didn't declare anything on our Custom's Declaration form! Unbelievable it's illegal to bring coffee into the Philippines! So what's next that we don't know about? SugarwareZ-034.gif
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Mr Lee
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th_thholysheep.gif And we just brought back 4 bags of Star Buck coffee grounds from our vacation! We didn't declare anything on our Custom's Declaration form! Unbelievable it's illegal to bring coffee into the Philippines! So what's next that we don't know about? SugarwareZ-034.gif
That is my exact point in posting this, what things are we doing illegally, that we do not even know we are doing? Many of us bring in meds without having the required papers from our doctors, as I wrote in a post HERE that no one even bothered to reply to, so I wonder how many read it. unsure.gif89.gif We all may need to be extra careful to not violate any laws which might cost us tons of money, possible jail time, and then even deportation, and even if we own a home in the Philippines. Can people imagine being married to someone or having a gf who cannot leave and having a family, or owning a home and then getting deported and blacklisted and not being able to qualify to bring their wife, gf and families back to their own country. 23_11_62[1].gif I am not sure how far the govt might go on 4 bags of coffee beyond confiscation if found, but we all know that they can go to the extreme if they wish to set someone up to be an example, or just to show that they are doing their jobs. Be careful all and be sure to tell us all about things you know that could get others in trouble.
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softail
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We have just finished packing a couple of Balikbayan boxes to ship to family. Among the things we are sending are several bottles of instant coffee, with all the inspections eveyone is talking about I hope it won't be a problem. Why on earth would it be a problem sending a little coffee into the country? Now you got me wondering if we need to unpack everything and pull it out.Doug and Sally

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Mr Lee
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We have just finished packing a couple of Balikbayan boxes to ship to family. Among the things we are sending are several bottles of instant coffee, with all the inspections eveyone is talking about I hope it won't be a problem. Why on earth would it be a problem sending a little coffee into the country? Now you got me wondering if we need to unpack everything and pull it out.Doug and Sally
Sorry Doug, I just tell em like I find em and members can do what they feel is correct for them. If it makes you feel any better, my wife brought three of bottles of instant coffee in our checked luggage last time we went to Cebu, and no one said a word to us, and we had a friend bring a couple more when he arrived, but now that I know, I will not do it again for fear of ending up deported or getting another person in trouble over something as silly as coffee. I would not mind a fine or even having them take the coffee away if caught, but beyond that I do not wish to chance it for myself and my wife. As I have been told many times, ignorance of the law is no excuse, but at least I could have claimed ignorance and asked for forgiveness, but now that I know, I will play it safe and buy my coffee there once we run out. Man oh man, how I hate playing by the rules SugarwareZ-034.gif and especially so when they seem to be ridiculous laws where they do not have a quantity shown which would be above personal consumption. Edited by Mr. Lee
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Inspector
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S & R has imported Columbian coffee...Kirkland brand.

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Jake
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We have just finished packing a couple of Balikbayan boxes to ship to family. Among the things we are sending are several bottles of instant coffee, with all the inspections eveyone is talking about I hope it won't be a problem. Why on earth would it be a problem sending a little coffee into the country? Now you got me wondering if we need to unpack everything and pull it out.Doug and Sally
Yeah, I here ya Doug. What's the harm in bringing coffee meant for personal consumption? You may want to confirm with your shipper there in Seattle. They are responsible to inspect contents or else their license is taken away. Take a look at this:http://www.manilafor...strictions.html The line item: "food, no exception". I was planning to pack a few boxes of can foods and dry cereals, including all favorite spices but I don't know now.Maybe some of you guys there in PI (thank you Inspector) can do a price check at S&R of various items.Respectfully -- Jake Edited by Jake
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Old55
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Thanks for the heads up Lee!Up until four or five years ago I always brought a couple pounds ground coffee and a large container of instant coffee never had an issue with Philippines customs.Nowadays you can buy Starbucks or any number of other good quality bean or ground to order coffee in any major Philippine city.

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Dave Hounddriver
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It makes a nice story, Lee, but your act was passed June 8, 1960 and subsequently REPEALED on March 28, 1996Republic Act No. 8178

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Art2ro
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Many years ago, we used to bring back to the Philippines our maximum weight of 2 per person Balikbayan boxes on the airplane! It got tiresome and expensive doing it year after year, after year and always had to hire a van to pick us up along with our extra 4 heavy Balikbayan boxes! We don't that anymore, we just save the extra cash for whatever upon our return! Why? Because now, what ever one can think of to buy in the U.S. to bring back, most malls in the Philippines have them! Now, we just pack light when going on vacations! No more Balikbayan boxes and no illegal stuff in our check-in baggage or in our hand carried items on the plane, ship, submarine, hot air balloon, taxi, train or bus! We just pack the bare essentials needed on our trips anywhere! Just being practical now a days!

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