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Got stopped by customs at the airport


spandit
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Came back from Orlando into a UK airport yesterday morning. I had 200 Nosler Varmaggeddon bullets in my case. Just after immigration, I noticed a couple of ladies who weren't in uniform but they had badges indicating they were police. I told them that I had ammunition and they replied inside the airport it wasn't their business and I should tell customs.

 

I duly collected my case and went to the exit. There is no red channel at this airport but there is a 'phone you can pick up. I started walking through the green channel to see if there were any officers around but there weren't. Honestly, I was about to say "sod it" and just walk through but then a customs officer (or whatever they're called this week) came running up to me and said "Did you say you had ammunition?". I then had to go all the way back to immigration because they don't have the staff to cover both. After a few minutes, a nice chap (who I'm told had "done the course") came and asked me what I was declaring. I showed him my licence, which I don't think he took out of the folder and then I showed him the boxes of bullets.

 

He was perfectly happy with that but said it would have been different had it been live ammunition - obviously not aware that expanding missiles are treated as such under UK law. They were grateful I'd taken the time to declare them too.

 

Now, my FAC states I am allowed 200 units of .223 ammo and 600 of .22. The boxes clearly state ".22 cal" on them - I'm sure that if I had more than 200 (they were out of stock of the bigger boxes) then nobody would have batted an eyelid - what my FEO or the police might have said had they searched my house could be a different matter but I'm planning on writing to my FEO in order to increase my ammo holding anyway

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I hope you had an export permit for them from the US?

 

All bullets (and now even brass cases as well) are covered by ITAR and unless you have an export permit for them they don't take kindly to it!.

 

Of course, can't believe you even asked such a question

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:)

 

I stopped buying mine when we're in the US just in case, 2-3,000 bullets are quite noticeable :D

 

It's almost as cheap to get them from Germany, I'm currently paying £190/1,000 for Nosler Custom Competition delivered in 3-5 days.

 

Can you link to a website, please? I fly over to the USA quite regularly but reading up on ITAR it sounds as if they wouldn't be overjoyed (if I didn't have the necessary permit, which of course I have)

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