Souvenir

Declare it, whatever it is, be it a Toblerone or a jar of Marmite.

I discovered this a couple of days ago. I'd ticked the "no" box on the landing card but mentioned to the immigration guy that I had a jar of Branston. I didn't think it counted. It does.

He made a note on my card that I had food but it was OK food. Had he not, and I'd been searched in customs, there would have been an automatic fine.

The guy also told me "welcome home", which I thought was nice.

cornmatthew

Interesting.

I once declared a box of Mr. Kipling apple pies. It got me sent for a search. They're OK to bring in. The customs agent said I'd done the right thing declaring it, but the tone of voice suggested otherwise.

indigoagain

We brought jarred baby food and baby milk during the "Mad Cow" crisis into Canada, and were held at Customs with a grumpy baby for an hour while they decided what to do with us I hate Canadian Customs Officers (with apologies to any nice ones out there, because I've never met one yet!)

jericho

Another tip would be to stick it in your suitcase and keep shtum.

Souvenir

a) if I'd put a jar of Branston in my hand luggage, it would never have got past security in the UK

b) messing around with immigration/customs officials anywhere is not a good idea

Snave

Once I was asked if I had any foodstuffs with me - I replied "Chewing gum" and was told quite sharply that if I joke with Canadian Immigration and Customs again - I'll never again be allowed to enter Canada. This was at Montreal.
Do as Souv says - declare everything and always assume the Immigration guy has had a really bad day.

Atlantic Xpat

"Never mess with someone who is perfectly entitled to don a pair of surgical gloves and have a rummage around in places where the sun doesn't shine."

It's a simple rule but one I live by.

Simon Legree

I came back to Toronto once with some liquorice root in my checked luggage. I had forgotten all about it and never thought anything of it until a charming little beagle with an Agriculture Canada jacket sat down beside my bag as I was waiting at the carousel for my other gear. No big deal but they did take it off me.

ireland2canada

Oh! Dodged a bullet there then....when I came over I had an obscene amount of cadbury buttons and a couple of slabs of fruit & nut in my checked luggage. Didn't think to declare it as the chocolate is ok to bring in. Oooops, ah well, lesson learned.

MikeUK

we always declare

but then again we bring back a full wheel of stilton every time

and the dog will need to be near death to miss that...

newshoney

I must have a guardian angel... have come in with suitcases FULL of Xmas cake, Xmas pudding, Cadbury's chocolate, biscuits (cookies) etc. as presents for family. Was never asked and never told... maybe won't do this again though.

AlvicBC

Last year when our parents came to visit they brought lots of bags of good old Irish Soda Bread flour for me - my poor mother in law didn't sleep for weeks beforehand as her sons at home had her convinced she was going to jail for drug smuggling - thankfully they were never once asked about what the bags of white stuff was and they thougth the Customs guys were all so friendly.

I dare say it would have been a different story if the flour was confiscated.

destinationnovascotia

Are you serious? Can you really bring in Stilton? I thought that you weren't allowed to bring in dairy produce.

MikeUK

for personal use.. up to 20kg

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/fpa-apa/law-loi-eng.html

jericho

It's not messing around- stick it in your suit case and no one will know. I've known people walk straight past the beagles with a lot worse than pickle on their person and not have any problems.

Christ, millions of dollars of drugs travel across the planet unchecked this way every day. There is a LOT of scaremongering on this forum. A helluva lot.