Bringing liquor home

[jqg1956]

I'm confused about what you can bring back from the USVI - last year we arrived in San Juan in route to STJ - we bought gin and vodka and had no problem bringing it to STJ. On the way home, again we changed planes in San Juan, but we were told we could only bring back rum made in Puerto Rico. Another passenger had his liquor confiscated at the airport in St. Thomas. Does anyone know the real story on what you can purchase and bring back to the States?
Thanks for any info - we arrive in STJ on this Saturday - our liquor cabinet is now empty I need to restock on the way home.

Two more days

[liamsaunt]

That's weird. The official rule is that you can bring back five bottles of whatever you like, and if you choose, one extra bottle of a locally produced product.

[Lulu76]

It's five one-liter bottles of whatever you want, and you can have six if one is made in the Virgin Islands. However, you have to put all liquor in your checked baggage.

[jqg1956]

Thanks for the info. I don't know what happened last year - the personnel at Dufry in San Juan would not explain anything - just kept saying "no" to bringing anything other than rum home. I am bringing a soft-sided cooler down with frozen food and plan on putting the liquor in on the return trip and checking it. I'm guessing that would work???

[Lulu76]

I do think that's strange because you can bring back whatever you want. It's duty-free there, so everything's cheaper. I have friends who bring back Jack Daniel's every time. I just bring back rum because I like Cruzan and can't get all the different kinds here.

As long as you wrap it up really good, I don't see why you couldn't put it in your cooler. Lots of folks do, so maybe they have pointers.

I get mine at AH Riise before I go to the airport, and the guys box it up for me so it won't break and then they give me this form that says what's in the box that I have to keep out with me when I go through customs. No one's ever asked to see it, but I like that I have it, just in case.

[Gromit]

Did I miss something?

I think you are saying that your friends tried to bring alcohol TO STT not FROM STT.

My question is this... the alcohol is as cheap on STT or STj as it is in PR, maybe even more so. So why would you opt to haul it on an additional leg of the flight?

Just buy when you get there and drink, then bring some home.

[jqg1956]

No, I was trying to bring it home from San Juan (on a stopover from STJ/STT)and couldn't. Since we are skipping the San Juan layover this trip, I should be able to get it from STT to home

[Lulu76]

Knowing how powerful Bacardi's liquor lobbyists are, I'm guessing they would have something to do with only bring PR rum home.

I just don't understand why you didn't have to check it clear through since it's a liquid. Unless this was before 2006. Everything's changed since then...