Customs enforce currency rules for incoming travelers

Travelers returning to Taiwan must make sure they do not carry with them banned food items or excessive foreign currencies and cigarettes, customs authorities have warned.
Incoming travelers are banned from bringing plants or fresh food items into Taiwan, the authorities stressed.
Foreign currencies in excess of US$10,000 (S$14,120) will have to be declared, and undeclared portions will be confiscated, they said.
Last year, the customs offices cracked down on 57 cases of undeclared foreign currencies, with the total equivalent to NT$18.41 million (S$810,040) - 14 times the sum of 2008, they said.
For the Chinese renminbi, travelers are allowed to carry 20,000 yuan each. Any excessive sums will have to be bonded at the customs, which will return them when the travelers leave Taiwan, the officials said.
For the local currency, the limit is NT$60,000 for both arriving and departing travelers. Any sums over the limit must be approved by the central bank before travelers can leave or enter Taiwan with the extra sums, the officials said.
Since the government raised the health tax on cigarettes last year, violations of the duty-free cigarettes regulations have been rising, they said.
The customs offices have reported a total of 231 violations since May 12, 2009, with travelers paying NT$1.35 million in taxes for their cigarettes, the officials said.
Each incoming traveler can carry 200 cigarettes and one litre of alcoholic drinks with no duty imposed on the items.
Individual travelers can carry up to 400 cigarettes and four litres of alcoholic drinks by paying taxes for quantities over the duty-free limit. Any excessive amounts will be seized, the officials said.