Cheese importation

Peter Rich

New member
Aug 11, 2014
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Just a quick question about bringing small blocks of cheese into the DR.

The customs form that you fill out on the aircraft says dairy products not allowed or words to that effect. Is this talking about large consignments or are they talking small amounts for personal consumption during a 2 month stay? If possible I would like to bring in 2 blocks of about 1kg each.

Can anyone shed any light on this?
 

Mauricio

Gold
Nov 18, 2002
5,607
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38
Just check it in and see if it passes, I've received cheese from family flying in without any problem.
 

gibbs

New member
May 31, 2005
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we bring cheese of all sorts all the time As long as it it processed and sealed no problem....but then...I cant remember the last time Aduanas opened a bag of mine
 

Meemselle

Just A Few Words
Oct 27, 2014
2,841
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I routinely bring two suitcases weighing 50 lbs each into the country, filled with kosher meat, milk, cheese, etc. I called the consulate in NY before I did it the first time. The deal is that all products must be in original packaging, frozen, and packed in non-leaking plastic. Those air-sucker vacuum bags are the best. I have done this two to three times a year for four years and have never had an issue. And if I ever did, I would 'splain politely but firmly that these are essential items, well, for me, for my life as a Jew. They never, ever have even batted an eye. If it's in checked baggage, at 60,000 feet, it's cold. You just don't want anything to bleed. I packed my suitcases in CT, traveled 1.5 hours to JFK, checked the bags, waited 2 hours to board, flew for 3.5 hours, travelled from POP to Sosua, and when I arrived home, the stuff was still frozen. So there.
 

Peter Rich

New member
Aug 11, 2014
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Meemselle

Thank you for the update. We would only bring in 2 blocks of 1 kg of hard cheddar cheese that will be vacuum sealed by the producer and have a life of more than 3 months when we land. They would not be frozen because of our overnight stopover in a hotel before catching the plane the next day. I presume it was only your meat that is perishable that needed to be kept frozen and not the cheese?
 

Drro

Bronze
Mar 22, 2006
1,407
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I bring cheese in all the time, in sealed packaging, not frozen, in my carry on, don't declare it and have never in 10 years been stopped for it. Compared to having an apple taken away from me on departure!
 

Peter Rich

New member
Aug 11, 2014
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Thanks everyone this is good information. Looks like I will be bringing in our favourite cheddar cheese next time.
 

Cdn_Gringo

Gold
Apr 29, 2014
8,670
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Technically you are not supposed to bring in meat or diary products. Foreign bugs and diseases and all that. Things are pretty lax and many get through customs numerous times without anyone batting an eye. Keep in mind that several square brick shaped things showing up on x-ray sometimes draw attention to themselves due to the "war on drugs". Keep the quantity reasonable. Being able to say with a straight face that the item is for personal use is helpful where as the same claim for 50 lbs of cheese might be harder to make.

There are never any guarantees when one bends the rules so be prepared to lose "it" or pay a fine/"importation fee" to the customs person, if you are unlucky. I cannot recommend deliberately being misleading on a signed customs declaration. Either be truthful when completing the form and hope no one pays too much attention to it or leave the appropriate section blank so that you can later claim it to be an omission on your part. It's much harder to convince an official that a "No" should have been a "Yes".

When travelling you are entering a foreign country. Here in the DR, generally, the rules are not tightly or consistently enforced. It is kind of like a lottery. Someone always manages to win the Powerball and someone will win at the customs lottery. You don't really want it to you. You should ask yourself if the item you are bringing in, this case cheese, is really all that important to you and worth the potential hassle?

You'll see lots of replies stating that you can get away with anything. That may be true in most cases in the DR. However, like Russian Roulette, you can be really lucky at it, until you're not. Your baggage will be x-rayed and sniffed by a dog when it comes off the plane before hitting the carousel. They'll know you have food. Whether they choose to ask you about it is the lottery part.
 

Peter Rich

New member
Aug 11, 2014
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Thanks Cdn_Gringo. It was the part that says dairy products are not allowed that prompted my original question.

When we came through customs on a BA flight on 19th January in the new terminal, there was one guy checking all passenger import forms and directing people through the customs exit hall. I had declared yes on the form for food (it was biscuits and dried Rabbit food), but did not say what it was. This guy was directing most people through the x-ray machine, but when we got to him with our 3 suitcases, he quickly glanced at the form (did not read it) and sent us straight out bypassing the machine. My immediate thoughts were that they were looking for drugs or weapons. I assumed because we are white haired 73 year olds we are unlikely to be trafficking. We were the only ones that did not have our luggage x-rayed in the group of 30 present at the time. Luck?
 

LTSteve

Gold
Jul 9, 2010
5,449
23
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Just a quick question about bringing small blocks of cheese into the DR.

The customs form that you fill out on the aircraft says dairy products not allowed or words to that effect. Is this talking about large consignments or are they talking small amounts for personal consumption during a 2 month stay? If possible I would like to bring in 2 blocks of about 1kg each.

Can anyone shed any light on this?

If they find this in your luggage they will most likely confiscate it. Not cheatin if your not tryin. Go for it.