Communist Chocolate!
June 11, 2006
Lindt Cuba 55% Chocolate
It’s amazing the things one can find in Canada at the Duty Free shop. Here is a photo of the back of the package, if you are interested. It even says on the edge that it is specifically made with Cuban beans. Hopefully it’ll be good.
Oh, today I went to Pinery, an Ontario Provincial Park about 45 minutes (maybe a bit longer) from Sarnia. I was bored. I took a good number of photos there, and many more around the Blue Water Bridge area. Those will be uploaded later.
I also need to upload the photos from Alex and Les’ wedding. I think they are okay. I think.
Careful — you’re violating the Office of Foreign Assets, Department of the Treasury regulations. Under the OFAC regs, US persons, wherever located, are prohibited from “purchasing, transporting, importing or otherwise dealing in or engaging in any transactions with respect to any merchandise” of Cuban origin.
My job is so fucking boring. I read your post and apply my stupid regs to it.
Even if it was mfg’d in Switzerland using Cuban beans?
It depends. If the beans constitute over 10% of the total product, then yes — even if it were made in Switzerland.
…if so, it’s interesting that they are for sale at Duty Free. As such, individuals purchasing the chocolate must enter the US after their purchase.
Here’s the summary of what applies. They focus on cigars, but call out all product lower on the first page. And they make reference to duty free shops, too.
Hrm, I guess the proper way would be to dispose of it.
Not necessarily. You don’t want to throw it away — you’ll be further violating the regs by passing it to another entity — in this case, Waste Management. It may sound stupid, but it’s how the government thinks.
Knowing violations are considered criminal offenses and can result in personal monetary fines as well as jail time in some cases. I don’t think the government would consider this a knowing violation, but they are very very very strict on the Cuban OFAC Regs.
I think your safest outlet is to consume it very quickly.
For more information: OFAC
I was reading through those, and what I found most interesting was that information (even on CDs and in the form of books and such) can be imported from Cuba, but that’s about it.
And yes, it will be done away with quickly. The packaging and foil and such is definitely not of Cuban origin, at least.