Spirytus Debowa Spirit de Luxe

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IanA2

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I'm looking to buy some of this stuff as a base alcohol for making liqueurs. The prices are crazy in this country, £44 for 70cl seem to be the best price I can find ($18 in US :mad:) so I was wondering about getting it direct from Poland. Does anyone know if I would get hammered for taxes/duty if it was couriered to the UK? I know Poland are in the EU but this government seems to have some selectivity when it suits them. If all else fails I'll just wait till I next hit the mainland where 95% plus spirit is sold at sensible prices.

Thanks.
 
I'm looking to buy some of this stuff as a base alcohol for making liqueurs. The prices are crazy in this country, £44 for 70cl seem to be the best price I can find ($18 in US :mad:) so I was wondering about getting it direct from Poland. Does anyone know if I would get hammered for taxes/duty if it was couriered to the UK? I know Poland are in the EU but this government seems to have some selectivity when it suits them. If all else fails I'll just wait till I next hit the mainland where 95% plus spirit is sold at sensible prices.

Thanks.

what quantity would you be bringing in?
 
Not sure about current taxation and importing laws, but I am sure there are set limits as to how much quantity can be brought in.

Unless of course it is for commercial use. Maybe speaking to a local Polish shop owner (which there are plenty of them about) will be a way forward, where they can order some on your behalf.
 
Not sure about current taxation and importing laws, but I am sure there are set limits as to how much quantity can be brought in.

Unless of course it is for commercial use. Maybe speaking to a local Polish shop owner (which there are plenty of them about) will be a way forward, where they can order some on your behalf.

I can try but my understanding is that commercial resale would attract all local duties/taxes etc, so would be expensive.
 
IanA2 said:
Very much depends on price. Perhaps a case or a half case.

If you intend to sell or supply alcohol in the uk you would need to either hold in bond or pay the uk duty for onward sale. We have a bond for wine and cider, spirits is a whole different kettle of fish and new applications to hmrc would probably require a movement guarantee from you if you don't have a previous good vat relationship with hmrc.

My advice would be buy what you need and pay the duty here in the uk, people probably chance it hoping not to be found out.

Hope that helps

Paul
 
I'm Polish so Yes it's cheap and people are using it to make 50/50 alcohol drinks.Reason is they cannot afford real think-that is the brutal truth And market for those is huge And to make it or supply it 's illegal in Poland, law is very harsh on this subject Also dangerous it is,specially Russian imports
 
If you intend to sell or supply alcohol in the uk you would need to either hold in bond or pay the uk duty for onward sale. We have a bond for wine and cider, spirits is a whole different kettle of fish and new applications to hmrc would probably require a movement guarantee from you if you don't have a previous good vat relationship with hmrc.

My advice would be buy what you need and pay the duty here in the uk, people probably chance it hoping not to be found out.

Hope that helps

Paul


I don't intend to supply or sell it, I intend to use it as a base to make liqueurs for personal consumption. I buy wine from Italy, it does not attract any taxes/duty as these are made in the country of origin which is a member state of the EU. I just refuse to pay £44 per 70cl for rectified spirit when the same can be bought in the US at $18 per 70cl. If however if I bought from the US I know I would have to pay duties/taxes as the US is not EU. The information I am looking for is, if I buy it from Poland, as a member state of the EU, would there be any further taxes/duties to pay given that they have already been paid in the state of origin.
 
I'm Polish so Yes it's cheap and people are using it to make 50/50 alcohol drinks.Reason is they cannot afford real think-that is the brutal truth And market for those is huge And to make it or supply it 's illegal in Poland, law is very harsh on this subject Also dangerous it is,specially Russian imports
Borys, I'm not clear, are you saying that Spirytus is illegal in Poland?
 
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As far as I'm aware, if you traveled to (eg) Poland, you could bring back as much as you want (within reason) but if you ordered & had it delivered, our chums at UK Borders Agency would grab it.

Crazy & skewed rules made up as they go along. Some years back I bought some tobacco product online from a company in Germany. I paid in Euro, but when they came into the UK they were seized. I argued the point - I was told that if I had traveled personally, no problem, but they do not see things in a logical or fair light, only to suit their own purposes.
 
As far as I'm aware, if you traveled to (eg) Poland, you could bring back as much as you want (within reason) but if you ordered & had it delivered, our chums at UK Borders Agency would grab it.

Crazy & skewed rules made up as they go along. Some years back I bought some tobacco product online from a company in Germany. I paid in Euro, but when they came into the UK they were seized. I argued the point - I was told that if I had traveled personally, no problem, but they do not see things in a logical or fair light, only to suit their own purposes.

I think you could well be right. In fact I think many of HMRC's actions are contrary to EU law. I think under EU law it should suffice that taxes/duties are paid in the state of purchase. I think that's one EU law HMG and HMRC have decided to ignore. Could be wrong.
 
I think you could well be right. In fact I think many of HMRC's actions are contrary to EU law. I think under EU law it should suffice that taxes/duties are paid in the state of purchase. I think that's one EU law HMG and HMRC have decided to ignore. Could be wrong.

Nope - you are 100% right.

My company buys product from both the USA & Denmark. US product attracts import VAT, Danish product benefits from "cross border trading", so no import tax or duty whatsoever (that applies to 99% of things purchased within the EC). However, alcohol & tobacco are special cases as we get royally shafted by HMRC & it's too good an earner to back down.

It did get its come-uppance a few years back when people who brought back the above were not only having it confiscated at the border into the UK, but some even had their vehicles confiscated. That went through the courts and HMRC was told in no uncertain terms that it was acting illegally. The permitted amounts were then greatly increased (within the EC) but only to what can be reasonably described as "for personal consumption".

But - you have to bring it in in person. What happens if (eg) you go to Europe, buy it there, but rather than trying to carry it back yourself, you have it sent home by courier? I think that remains a moot point.

Totally unfair & verging on illegal, but you can't argue with them.
 
Borys, I'm not clear, are you saying that Spirytus is illegal in Poland?

Sorry didn't put this right
There was a big issue for spirit being shipped from Russia, lots being done for that in past
The one in shops is ok but twice more expensive
Making vodkas from it is illegal, without permits
Having Russian spirit on the market, there were lots of fake vodkas around etc
As long as you will have receipts with you you should be ok with any amount, cannot tax what has been already taxed
Double check with customs and you're safe

Have bad memories saved in my head rgds to that , was properly poisoned before

Good luck on your quest
 

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