Electronics in suitcase

PlantaFULL said:

Our TV is on its last breath and I'm thinking about flying to Miami to get a nice big flatscreen that would fit into a suitcase. Plaza Lama & co are not an option, just a ripoffs on large TVs.

I know that in SDQ they are x-ray scanning a lot and getting trough without paying the whole price of the TV again to aduana will be hard.

What I was thinking now is to leave and enter the country over Punta Cana airport. I never used that airport but from the looks of it I have a feeling they might not be doing any controls there since only tourists come in that way.

Someone has any experiences at Punta Cana? Do they control entering tourists at all? I would put on my "Gringo on vacaciones" outfit too.

Thanks

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I know that they certainly scan tourist cases at POP and have seen them open people up too. POP is also a tourist packed airport so I can't imagine that it will be any different in Punta Cana??

I know it doesn't answer your question entirely but hope it helps!

Daydream

if they didn't scan anything before...they'll do it now..you just told the whole planet of your "plan"...

Since the new administration there has been a noticeable difference at SDQ. They are so on top of things now it barely looks or feels like the same airport. The overstay station clerk actually had and gave me change (cambio)...and not just pesos either.

I have brought electronics into the country without a problem. I tell them it for my house or job. Now keep in mind this wasn't a large television. Take all the price tags off. Remove any thing that might give the appearance of new. Wrap it up in some clothing and act very cocky! (my "no entiendo espanol" aint cutting it anymore with these people...I got too many custom stamps in and out).
TEHAMA

PS- What model are you thinking about that would fit in a suitcase? The ones I have seem have been very wide (linear). Maybe fit in a steamer trunk. Good luck!

Just have 2x5 USD in your hand . Call a person from the douane say that you are very tired and that you will pass rapidly and give him these money in the hand but so that nobody can see anything . The person open you suitcase and closed it whitout to check the suitcase .
Why 2 x 5 USD ? He need to split the money with the other person .
Never have problem with this , every time I arrive in Punta Cana I do it . Almost once a month I'm coming to the DR with electronic equipments .

Greetings , Wim .

Daydream??? POP?

I've never seen them scanning cases at POP. When is this done? I travel almost every 2 weeks and only give a few $$$ at customs and they just upzip the bags and then close them..... :tired:

PlantaFULL said:

Our TV is on its last breath and I'm thinking about flying to Miami to get a nice big flatscreen that would fit into a suitcase. Plaza Lama & co are not an option, just a ripoffs on large TVs.

I know that in SDQ they are x-ray scanning a lot and getting trough without paying the whole price of the TV again to aduana will be hard.

What I was thinking now is to leave and enter the country over Punta Cana airport. I never used that airport but from the looks of it I have a feeling they might not be doing any controls there since only tourists come in that way.

Someone has any experiences at Punta Cana? Do they control entering tourists at all? I would put on my "Gringo on vacaciones" outfit too.

Thanks

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Just wondering, how big is your suitcase? If you are flying to Miami for business or pleasure, it seems plausible obtaining a tv secondary to the trip. However, if you are flying to Miami just for the tv; it seems to me the monies spent for the air fare would be better spent toward a purchase of a tv in the D.R. A tv purchase in the D.R. would have the service and guarantee that would not be entitled to a purchase offshore.

Also, they do random checks at PUJ. Big suitcases are suspect?

Good Luck and Regards,
PJT

paddy said:

if they didn't scan anything before...they'll do it now..you just told the whole planet of your "plan"...

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Oh yeah like customs is reading this forum...and even if someone told them about it, you actually think they would change procedures.....please....

POP Bad Boy said:

I've never seen them scanning cases at POP. When is this done? I travel almost every 2 weeks and only give a few $$$ at customs and they just upzip the bags and then close them..... :tired:

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Hola
They scan them when they come off the plane before they put them onto the conveyor belt for collection - they usually put a sticker on them too, saying that they have been scanned.

I have also seen them open people cases.....

I suggest Distribuidora Corripio, should you find anything, PM me and I can ask for some discount...

Hi daydream:

I'm trying to get a visual here...can you elaborate on how they "open people up too"? I will flying in within the month; just want to be prepared if I'm selected to be "opened-up" Thanks, Carlos.

2dlight said:

I'm trying to get a visual here...can you elaborate on how they "open people up too"? I will flying in within the month; just want to be prepared if I'm selected to be "opened-up" Thanks, Carlos.

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Hola Carlos

Once you have collected your case from the conveyor belt at POP airport - as you are walking out towards the main exit doors they have tables and guards where they can pick people at random and ask to see the contents of their baggage.

I have seen them open up a few people's cases before.....a similar set up to most other airports however it's not so enclosed at POP airport....no 'nothing to declare channel! - the tables are literally right by the exit and everyone can see!

Why, what are you planning on bringing with you?

Daydream

daydream said:

Hola Carlos

Once you have collected your case from the conveyor belt at POP airport - as you are walking out towards the main exit doors they have tables and guards where they can pick people at random and ask to see the contents of their baggage.

I have seen them open up a few people's cases before.....a similar set up to most other airports however it's not so enclosed at POP airport....no 'nothing to declare channel! - the tables are literally right by the exit and everyone can see!

Why, what are you planning on bringing with you?

Daydream

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You know i have heard ppl say this...but NEVER on any of my flights, or my parents flights to come visit me, or people I know have we EVER seen them even stop someone to look in their bags.

But then again as I said before..I am so excited to see Carlos when I get off the plane I run through there so fast they would just get run down if they tried to stop me

LOL

I am bringing a portable DVD player (one of thoes small car ones) in my carry on though....there wouldn't be a problem with that even if they did decide to stop me, would there???

seen a gringo coming

At STI with 3 of the largest equipment bags you can buy one large suitcase and a large carry on and they were smiling like they hit the mother load. Two inspectors then two more walked over talked in some language I have no clue of..... which is Spanish. I had to $20 bills just in case. I open my carry-on pulled out my CD player my translator and my organizer. Now they all started talking and smiling some more. I say easy now and point to one of my carry-on's and say hang on and I open it and it's full of school supplies and baseball equipment just like the other two I never had to open. They can't believe it and I say orphanage for orphanage and I guess the one man knew some English he smiled more this time than before, and said good man, told his buddies what was going on.they put all my stuff back in my carry-on asked if I needed help which I didn't end all put their hands out for a shake. Started walking away and gave my thumbs up in which they replied by saying good man with their thumbs up just smiling. So I guess maybe just maybe they treated me like one of their own on this day.... I hope so because they made me feel welcome.

So the moral to the story is bring gifts for the needy.

Never have a problem.

And feel good about it.

Puj

I have been through PUJ several times with DVD players and CD players and my luggage is loaded with lots of gifts. Yes they scan...

Since I am not going to a resort they always check my luggage. I tell them it's gifts for my family and personal use (no packaging) and they ask for some dinero, I give them a few pesos and I am on my way...

What's the worst that's going to happen, they convisgate a few things...

Don't worry so much, and I agree for what you will save, you might as well just buy the TV in DR.

If we are talking a plasma tv (very expensive), then that's different. I think you are taking a chance. Unless you tell them it's for personal use. I am not sure about this though...

Good luck...

I used to live in Ecuador a few years back. I play steel guitar and I like to get new toys every now and then. I'd fly to Nashville, St-Louis or just Miami and get back with guitars, amplifiers... well, not the small stuff you can hide or wrap in between dirty underwear. So, I grab some of the stuff off the of the band... walk over to a custom agent that seems to look out for a good deal and ask him if he could please help me put all this stuff on a cart (steel guitar amps are awfully heavey!)... It never failed, got all the help and got escorted out of the airport and helped with a taxi. Rarely I had been ask what the hell's so heavey in there and I tell the truth, adding that I play on the Swiss embassy gala. Half the truth is the best lie! Never paid one Sucre.
If you feel the heat coming up to you, approach and ask for help or assistance. Have something in the BIG bag you can show... some a strange electronical device you picked up at a fleamarket, get it out un-asked and ask if you have to pay for this one and how much... it's worth less... if they ask too much (more than $5.oo) surrender it and say that in that case it's not worth it... They can't used it (probably no one can), either way they get the picture. Just waste their time... or make them feel that you are.
Allways have the biggest bag with nothing to declare in it (which I understand could be difficult when bringing in that 52" Plasma TV ). That's the one they want to check if they're after you. I knew a girl in the DR which had worked at the check tables at La Romana airport. She told me how all asked people first only try to open the hand luggage... and she told me how she allways refused (keep that in mind!) and eagerly pointed to the big one ("... pero ven aca, que creen que soy estupida, o que?").
She said she made money like never in her entire life... "tips" being 300% of her income back then.

As for the flat screen... wouldn't it be an option to have imported officially by a customs agent?

... J-D.

One little trick

(if you want to call it that) is anything that I can fit in 2 suitcases I wrap in Christmas paper. I have put up 30 small items that takes me a couple of hours to wrap and they have always passed thru.
Before I did this I was carrying cosmetics in plastic bags (about 300 pcs) and I was stopped.
Held me up for 2 and half hours in the back inspection room at SD -paid $100 duty to get out of there. Not a pleasant time.

JOHN
P.S. One time after seeing all the Christmas wraps he says " you must have a lot of friends here" yep--"ok go "

Caution!! Free advice.

* CAUTION! I brought a PC monitor [@ 17"], almost new, in thru POP once; I had to pay aduana; it was too large to hide or disguise. Then, . . the monitor was damaged in transit; it could not be repaired; it was useless in the DR; I threw it away. Be very careful with something as large, delicate & expensive as a large screen TV.

* FREE ADVICE! ! My Dominican wife has a brother who lives in the Bronx; he bought a Toshiba, large screen TV [@ 37"], not a flat sceen, @ The Bronx Sears; & had it shipped by a DR freight company, with offices in Santo Domingo & the Bronx, to POP; gross cost = @ $ US 1,100., all included; the shipping co. paid all aduana, delivered it to our door, set it up, connected it [ie cable TV], & tested it! I think that you can buy anything sold by Sears on-line, & perhaps other vendors, & have it shipped to your door in the DR this way. Well worth the fee, in my opinion. PM me for the name of the co. Extremely honest & competent. So unusal in the DR!

* Think of the Santiago airport; very courteous, very helpful; all incoming baggage is X-rayed; I brought in a bulky, 9 CD changer for my jeepeta some months ago, pruchased in California; in the original packge; @ US $175.; the customs people opened my bag, inspected the CD changer, closed @ it @ & waved me thru. I've brought in 3 -4 lap top computers this way. Laptops in the DR are, in my opinion, irrationally expensive. Good fortune.