Minor Issue with Mexico Customs

[aquabluedreams]

We typically pack all the camera gear in a Stormcase.  This trip I spaced out and put the pouch with all our SD cards in with the "misc gear" box.  When we arrived in Cozumel it was missing....

[SwiftFF5]

That would be more than a minor problem to me.  Sorry that happened to you.

[JS1221]

Did you fly directly into Cozumel? I'm headed there next month and would like to avoid that issue.

[aquabluedreams]

Seattle-Houston-Coz.  We use zip ties to lock the case.  Inside the lid have a sign thanking Customs for their work and ask they use zip ties I provide them to "re-lock" the case, which to date everyone has done.  So that means it has to be someone in Customs.  Should have had them on me.  It just resulted in having to download the cards in the camera every night to an external hard drive.  "Fortunately" they are just standard SD cards for the RX100 and the now 7yr old Canon.  

[JS1221]

Sorry that happened to you. I normally carry most my camera gear in a backpack, so that will not be changing. Did you have any problems with them trying to tax your camera gear? I got hit twice in Cabo, and have heard it is now occurring in Cancun. I got another e-mail saying Cozumel has been taxing laptops and dive computers. I get more reluctant to go to Mexico each year.

[CaolIla]

I was never sure to go to Mexico...   I had allways "a good reason" to go in an other country.

But all that I read over the "tax"...  is for me a the reason I'll never go in this country.

The world is  big... there is a lot of thing to show outside of Mexico.

[bghazzal]

7 hours ago, JS1221 said:

Sorry that happened to you. I normally carry most my camera gear in a backpack, so that will not be changing. Did you have any problems with them trying to tax your camera gear? I got hit twice in Cabo, and have heard it is now occurring in Cancun. I got another e-mail saying Cozumel has been taxing laptops and dive computers. I get more reluctant to go to Mexico each year.

 

Here's a related thread on the infamous photogear tax.
I wouldn't be surprised if they started applying it to scuba gear more regularly as well (has happened before, as well as for golf clubs and other equipment)
 

 

Edited November 17 by bghazzal

[Crasoner]

I recently travelled to Cancun and they took some of my airtight sealed food and some small tools for my underwater rig. I explained to them that it was illegal because I checked the Mexican custom law before flying in. They were 2 sneaky girls laughing each other behind the counter, so they clearly played me. When I demanded to talk to the supervisor they ignored me and started talking to the next person in queue. I also saw many attempts of scams in the streets and small supermarkets, so I won't go to Mexico anymore. 

[aquabluedreams]

Again we have two rigs, RX100 IV in Nauticam housing, Canon Video cam in Gates housing plus all the wet lenses and strobes.  Fills the Stormcase right to the 50lb limit.  When you get off the plane in Cozumel, you collect your bags and then have to run them through the scanner on the way out.  The Mexican Customs official did stop me and wanted to know how many systems we had.  I made it clear it was just one for myself and one for my wife.  She asked if we had more than two cameras, which on this trip we did not.  She let me go after that.  

 

While Cozumel is were my wife decided to try diving 20yrs ago and on this trip decided to take it up again; it will probably be our last trip there.  

Edited Monday at 08:36 PM by aquabluedreams