Bringing foodstuffs into Mexico

[James Doran]

Hello all you experience travelers:

I would like to figure out how to get approval to bring food stuffs across the border from the USA into Mexico. I live part time in the paradise of Washington State and I have salmon in my freezer. I would like to bring 30 pounds or more down with me when I fly to Leon or Guadalajara. It seems to me, if I recall right, that this will not be allowed by Mexican customs.

Is there a specific permit or process I can go through to get approval to bring frozen salmon, and maybe pesto, across the border?

Any help is appreciated.

James
text or whatsapp (360)393-9506
jim@doranlegal.com

[Mikel1]

Packaged foods can pass, maybe you could cryovac it with a label? I bring down dry goods and horseradish that is refrigerated in a small cooler / lunch bag. I think the key is packaging and labels.

[James Doran]

I have the Food-Saver vacuum package machine. I guess I could come up with a label that looks real. Any thoughts on the labeling?

Then what happens at customs?

James

[DonJuane]

Looks like it will be prohibited from what I have read. (You'll have to suffer with the Costco variety like the rest of us LOL.) You might pack one in a paper (thick) paper freezer bag with some dry ice crumbled along with it and place it at the bottom of a suitcase with personal under garments and any other embarrassing things but be prepared to lose it.

https://www.bajabound.com/before/permits...ulture.php

https://www.gob.mx/cms/uploads/attachmen...ibited.pdf

P.S. If you think it will go bad before you will eat it, I'll send you shipping label to US address :-) :-)

PPS - Mexico is a different place these days, basically no more bribing to pass things through that you used to be able to. Social engineering seems the best method to try to fudge and other items such as looking for a guard who doesn't seem so "career oriented" as perhaps a younger energetic one. Things are as always, and world wide, the illegality of an action is always in the eyes of the beholder but while I might gamble with losing a few extra dollars or a rack of lamb, fresh caught Atlantic Salmon would be a different story. I recall decades ago flying from Alaska to Texas with a flexible ice bag stuck in a duffel bag that I slid under my seat as a carry on. Of course you could never do that now but at least you know my reverence for your contraband.

[DonJuane]

Did you notice that fish is both prohibited and approved in the same document? Perhaps they mean live fish is prohibited because they say fish on ice and leak-proof packaged is OK. Go figure!

[James Doran]

When in Mexico eat what the Mexicans eat. And it ain't wild northwest King Salmon, the best in the world.

Thanks,

James

[DonJuane]

Now I didn't say you should do that because that is not the rule I follow. My creed is it is better to ask forgiveness than permission but I'm sure that lands a lot of people in trouble. I don't blame you for wanting the fish here but on the same hand it would be a shame to lose it to a customs agent. You might try some of the older or the previous year's catch and the loss wouldn't be so great.