Canada Snus Import Calculator

[GENERAL BILLY]

I am not Canadian so I don't want to meddle in things which aren't my business but I think the owner of badge number 17693 might be a straight up sonofabitch.

[heapbag]

I am not Canadian so I don't want to meddle in things which aren't my business but I think the owner of badge number 17693 might be a straight up sonofabitch.

As a non-Canadian you are henceforth banned from this thread until one of two things occurs:

1. You have contributed at least 500 posts to snuson.com

or

2. You can name the actor and the name of the character he is portraying in your avatar

and yes, badge number 17693 is one bad mutha

[Snarfblat]

If anyone else finds problems with overcharging by Badge Number 17693, we should pool our information and send in a complaint. It's those type of CBSA agents that give the whole agency a bad name.

So far it appears that He/She likes to charge $51 in tobacco tax for packages of snus to Alberta, no matter how much the package weighs. In one case the package was only 73 grams, which should have been about $21 in tobacco tax. 100grams should be $30 tax, Badge 17693 charges $51. 120 grams should be $36 tax, Badge 17693 charges $51. He/She is either incompetent or a malicious anti-tobacco nazi. We need to put an end to this BS.

[beerski]

Thank you for this, its far better than fumbling around through trial and error to figure out which random CBSA amount is correct. There is just too much of a range in how different agents assess packages. I think most of us Canucks would pay the standard taxes and fees if they would at least stick to them so we know what we're getting into before ordering.

I've never been able to file a complaint since most of the time they miss a couple packages in my shipment. I don't want to send them the receipt showing more cans than they have on record.

[snusgetter]

I am not Canadian so I don't want to meddle in things which aren't my business but I think the owner of badge number 17693 might be a straight up sonofabitch.

Hey hey ... the owner of badge number 17693, male or female, might be somebody's mutha!!



And now part 2 of the non-Canadian test:

You can name the actor and the name of the character he is portraying in your avatar

Howdy Doody (a '50s puppet), string pulling and voice by
Buffalo Bob Smith (originally from Maine or New Hampsha).

[Snarfblat]

I got my last of 5 packages today, all were inspected by customs. Here is the breakdown, you can see how wildly different the charges are. Note that packages 1+2 had identical contents, and 3+4 had identical contents. In total I reckon it cost me $11 more than it should have.

I've got a roll coming in a single package. If the charges are way off I'll probably try for an immediate reassessment.

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/po...ation-eng.html

[lxskllr]

It's pretty bad when you look at an $11 overage and think "That's not so bad" :^/

[Maher]

I have had 7 packages delivered, two of which were caught by customs, 51$ and 29$ in fees, did not complain as I am still ahead but still the charges are way high. I am in BC

[Habs]

I have had 7 packages delivered, two of which were caught by customs, 51$ and 29$ in fees, did not complain as I am still ahead but still the charges are way high. I am in BC

lol send it to me and i'll re-package it, label it coffee and send it to you

[Snarfblat]

Definition of "Package" and how CBSA calculates Federal Excise Duty

It was brought to my attention that there might be a problem with how I interpret the law regarding the calculation of Federal Excise Duty depending on the definition of "package".

Is the envelope the "package", or is each can of snus inside a "package". How about a roll being one "package"? The difference in calculated duty could be a lot.

I don't have a lot to go on here, except some old E14 Postal Import forms and the amounts are all over the place. All of the packages were "Not Opened".

Approx Weight - Duty Rate - Amount
5*24=120 - 5 - $10.58
5*24=120 - 5 - $5.75
5*20=100 - 5 - $10.59
5*20=100 - 4 - $6.40
2*45+2*24=138 - 5 - $4.83

It looks like the CBSA might be interpreting the envelope as the "package". I don't have the actual weights of the envelopes, I don't have a scale to weigh them when they arrive. Nevertheless, it looks like the calculated duty should always be a multiple of $2.8925, and it never is.

If anyone else has some Postal Import Forms (the one attached to the envelope by the CBSA) maybe we can pool our information and reverse engineer what's going on here. In Box 6, what is the Duty Rate and Amount specified, and the approximate total weight of the envelope? Also it might be helpful if in Box 21 does it say "Opened" or "Not Opened"?

[Snarfblat]

Here is the relevant information (Thanks to Fredrik), maybe someone can interpret this better than I can:

The Coding of Entries of "Packaged" Tobacco of Heading 24.03
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publicati...8-020-eng.html

7- The excise duty rate is now based on the number of packages in increments of 50 gram or fractions thereof. For example, an importer is bringing in 10 packages weighing 8 grams each of tobacco. As per the table above, the up to but not exceeding 50 grams rate of 2.8925 will apply. In field 29 the quantity will be entered as 10; while in field 34 the excise tax rate is entered as 2.8925. The system will then calculate the total amount of excise tax of 10 x 2.8925 = 28.93. If the importer were to bring in 10 packages weighing 125 grams each, then 10 would be coded into field 29, quantity; while 8.6775 (as the package is greater than 100 grams but does not exceed 150 grams) would be entered into field 34, excise tax rate. The system would then calculate the total as 10 x 8.6775 = 86.78.

8- For goods imported in packages greater than 200 grams, the importer is required to calculate the excise tax rate and the amount. Therefore, if an importer brings in 20 packages weighing 454 grams each, the quantity of 20 would be entered in field 29, quantity; while the 44.00 would be coded into field 34, excise tax rate. The importer must then calculate the total excise duties owed and enter that amount into field 40, excise tax. The applicable rate is calculated by multiplying 2.8925 (the incremental rate for each 50 gram increase) by the next highest increment of 50 grams, in this case 10 (i.e., 500 divided by 50). Thus the total excise duty would be 578.50, representing 20 packages times the rate of 28.925 (or 2.8925 times 10).

10- The unit of measurement (UOM) for packaged tobacco is the number (nmb) of packages of the smallest size of packages of the tobacco product offered for sale to the general public, as of the time of importation.


http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/trade-com.../tn34-eng.html
(2403.99.10.10)

[Maher]

ahh the good old Canada customs, not only that we are dealing with crap postal service and not complaining about it but we also have the very efficient customs to mingle with, what a party, welcome to Canada, lol

[WickedKitchen]

I don't think I could snus if I lived in Canada.

[TommyGunBC]

ahh well , Snusing in Canada is alive and well with the few the proud the taxed to death
still cheaper than smoking cigs , and so much more enjoyable

[Snarfblat]

Does anyone have some old Postal Import Forms lying around? Just need to know what's in box 6 and the approx. weight of the package.

I don't know why they make this so complicated. It's an embarrassment.

If a roll of PORTIONS is considered a "package", then the Duty would be $14.46 on 240g of tobacco. If each can is a "package", then the Duty would be $28.93.

If a roll of LOOSE is considered a "package", then the Duty would be $26.03 on 450g of tobacco. If each can is a "package", then the duty would be $28.93.