bringing wood from Mexico??

[The Penguin]

I'm currently on vacation in Mazatlan- was wondering about bringing a few wood samples home.

does anyone know if that is even possible?

it looks like from this site, I am SOL as I should have applied for a permit 30 days ago:

USDA - Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) - Plant Health, Plant Protection and Quarantine

 

[PenMan1]

The short, simple answer is you can't bring it in without a permit. You could sneak it, but that's BIG problems at customs!

 

[maxwell_smart007]

Can you bring wooden souveneirs? If so, have a local artisan carve a bunny into a block of wood, and you'll have a lot of blanks to bring home!

 

[edstreet]

Thing is, wood is not a plant Nor is it an animal. UPS? What type of wood are we talking here?

 

[Curly]

A cutting board is easier to make into blanks than a bunny.

 

[FatPat]

I would try mailing it to yourself, easier than going thru customs with it.

 

[jscola]

I returned from Cabo a couple years ago with some desert ironwood in my luggage and it looked like customs opened the suitcase & unrapped the wood but let the wood go thru. Maybe I was just lucky.

 

[Mapster]

I just returned from Mexico two and a half weeks ago. I brought back a wooden mask and about 20 pounds of hardwood. It was wrapped in paper so pieces of bark and such didn't make a mess, and I had it in my carry on (because of weight). They searched it and said it was fine... And I brought back a lot! I would go for it if I were you

 

[GoodTurns]

I've been watching that Border Wars show...please don't try to bring any weed across, they'll mess you up good (and they don't allow sharp tools like skews or woodchucks in prison)...oh, wood...dang eyeglass prescription expired....

 

[lorbay]

I brought back 6 pieces last year from Manzanillo. I was a downed tree so the guy gave me 4 ft of it. So I cut it up into smaller pieces took the bark off and packed it in the suit case. They asked what it was at the Mexican boarder but not in Canada.

Lin.

 

[Old Lar]

I brought iron wood back a year ago. The man that I bought it from, cleaned it up with a steel brush to look like a statue. No problem at the border.

 

[juteck]

Going from US into Canada, no bark and no worm holes, or you just donated your stash to the officials. If you do bring from Mexico into US, I'd suggest at least that -- no bark, no worm holes.

 

[Russianwolf]

When I came home from SE Asia a couple years ago, Gary Peck sent me home with a bunch of wood blanks. Going through customs I told them I had them and the girl pulled out a couple and looked at them. Tossed them back in and sent me on through.

Main things they are looking for is that there is no insect activity. Try to make sure that there isn't any back on them (insects like to hide between the bark and wood), and that they are dry (insects like moisture).

Depending on the officer, they may still take them so be ready to lose your stash with a smile.