Places to buy cigarettes?

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  1. #11

    Join Date
    Jun 2005
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    Hong Kong
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    23,205

    You risk a criminal record (and even jail time) for the sake of saving HK$150 or so? (being the duty on 7 packs) Bizarre!


  2. #12

    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Posts
    11,711

    why don't you travel to shenzhen with a group of friends or multiple trips by yourself assuming you have multiple china visa, customs will allow 3 packets ( not boxes) per person, maybe this is the only legal way of tax free cigs apart from airports, if mulitple trips by your self and you take the cheapest form of transport from shueng shui to lok ma chau, i think HK$18 by bus there and back, you can save 40% to 50% each visit assuming you can pass the 3 opened packets of cigs to someone in sheung shui, but considering the bother for saving of 60HK$ each time, it maybe not really worth it the time to do this though


  3. #13

    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Posts
    11,711

    you think HK is expensive, you want to see UK prices, pack of cigs will cost you around 6.50 pounds/HK$78!!!


  4. #14

    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Gulf Region, ex Mid-Levels
    Posts
    1,933

    If you are HK resident you are limited to 3 packs only instead of the usual 10 pack limit in most countries (Singapore is zero, Australia is 10 packs of 25) for personal duty free imports. Otherwise you have to declare them and pay the tax on arrival.

    I have found a source of legal 555 cigarettes in Soho (they used to be in many 7-11's until the end of January), and Marlboros are everywhere. If you have a friendly owner operated shop nearby, they can often source the cigarettes for you unless you are after some godawful kretek's or North Korean brands.

    I have inadvertently smoked the odd "fake" which I put out after the first puff. They are simply vomit inducing (OK anti-smokers I know what you will say next).

    If you are looking to distribute them, speak to BAT, Philip Morris and Japan Tobacco directly. They often will be distributing themselves as the margins for the companies are thin compared to the tax. The tobacco companies have been hit in other jurisdictions for allegedly helping smugglers, and are therefore wary of any parallel imports. They are also very protective of their brands and positioning.

    British American Tobacco Hong Kong - British American Tobacco Hong Kong
    Makers of Lucky Strike, Dunhill, 555, Benson and Hedges (in Asia), Kool amongst others
    菲利普莫里斯國際公司:首頁
    Makers of Marlboro, L&M, Chesterfield, Parliament, and Benson and Hedges (in North America) note the European version is sold as "Senior Service".
    JTI | About JTI | Locations
    Makers of Winston, Mild Seven, Silk Cut and Benson and Hedges (in Europe)

    Last edited by fth; 19-02-2010 at 01:33 PM.

  5. #15

    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    6,733

    Note if you want duty free concessions on alcohol and tobacco, you need to be outside HK for more than 24 hours. Cigarettes at convenience stores in Manila were 40-50 Pesos a pack, so that works out to just about $1 US, but you can probably get them cheaper at stands on the street. Kreteks were 90 Pesos since they're imported.