bringing cheese through lax customs

I almost always bring cheese back from Europe without problem. In early June coming through LAX, I declared the cheese as usual, but was directed to secondary screening for the first time. Took about 40 minutes extra.

Has anyone had recent experience bringing cheese through (declared) and whether it’s subjective them to secondary screening screening? At the time they advised me that it would probably go on for the summer.

I eventually got it through without a problem but 40 minutes was too much hassle.

You could have eaten all that cheese, during the wait.

“Comin’ into Los Angeles
Bringin’ in a couple of keys (not cheese)
Don’t touch my bags if you please, mister customs man”
-Arlo Guthrie, 1969

Yes, but it wouldn’t have gotten me out of the line.

You at least would not have gotten hungry, meanwhile.

dup

Where were you coming from and what kind of cheese?
Any chance the extra screening was random?

duplicate

No, it was definitely because of the cheese, the guy was already to wave me through as I said: chocolate, cookies, pasteurized cheese… he looked up when I said cheese and put me in the secondary inspection line. Coming from Spain.

Coming home from Mexico a month ago, I had two almost dried roses in my carryon … the sign said flowers had to be declared, so I did and was sent to secondary screening where the roses were shaken a bit to make sure there were no insects. Took ten minutes. Was amusing. 40 minutes would not have been.

That’s a special agricultural line, usually not as long. We’ve brought in orchids a couple of times (and failed once because of tiny bugs)

Not familiar with LAX but anytime I brought in cheese or similar food items I had to go thru that secondary line. I’d always assume that is the case when travelling with that stuff thru US customs. I got where I would not bring it back as it was a PITA to wait that extra time but I am not the most patient and most things I can find stateside.

First time for me in over maybe 15 timesbringing IB cheese, always declaring, I will just stop at Di Palos in little Italy next time I’m in NYC

We can meet for lunch, at any of the Chinatown shops which have entirely surrounded Little Italy, Luca Brazzi styled.

Cheese is generally importable without difficulty, without tariff issues anyway.

And there I was thinking this was about inattentive customs officers somewhere. Maybe use caps in the thread title?

[snort.gif] This is how fake news starts.

Barry: Just curious…do you have GOES?

Cheers!
Marshall