What's the chance of being charged a camera tax at Los Cabos Airport

[rudylgza]

Well they got me…but fortunately not for as much as they tried.

Just flew into Cabo. Leaving for Socorro tomorrow.

I have completely non-diving related luggage (white dirty north face duffel bought in 2009, a similar style smaller brown carryon duffel and a very plain grey Patagonia roll top backpack) and plain clothes with zero branding.

I walked up to the customs guy and he asked me if I had a bunch of things like alcohol to which I answered honestly “no.” Then he asked me if I had iPad or laptop and I said “yes.” He said which and how many? I said 1 laptop. “Camera housing?” he asked. I said yes. He told me to push the button and sent me to the X-ray machine.

They pulled my housing and asked how much it cost.

I have the micon plastic housing I got on Amazon for $199 so I told her $200.

She said they are worth more in Mexico and she asked me for a receipt. I couldnt find my receipt that fast so I showed her it for sale on amazon for $177.

She wrote down the assessed value at $2000 and sent me to the back room.

They tried to charge me $375 in taxes. 19% of $2000.

I asked why they would do this when I’m clearly just a tourist using this for my own recreation and entertainment. she showed me a print out of the regulation that has “underwater camera housing” written in the middle of a paragraph with a ton of legalese surrounding it.

By that time had found my receipt. It took me 20-30min to convince them that was my actual receipt for the housing that was right in front of them (even with pictures on the receipt). They were trying to say it wasn’t the real receipt because it didn’t match the serial number on the housing. Of course I had to mention that receipts show model information not serial numbers and the model info was clearly a match. One other person came over to help. Finally we broke through and they reduced the value to $199 and I paid 19% tax or about $38.

My camera was in a camera case deeper in my backpack and they didn’t seem interested in looking through the rest of my stuff. Just the housing

Did you have any strobes? Going next month and it’s my fourth time but have yet to be stopped. Figure law of averages will hit me at some point.

 

[Living4Experiences]

I've been hassled twice in Cabo by the extortion scheme targeting divers. It's all illegal and they know it. Both times I argued my way out of it, showed my receipts, and told the extortionist that I am not a professional. The last scam was August 2023. I'll never go to Mexico ever again. I've had it with their thievery.

 

[rongoodman]

I think I might just take the cheap GoPro housing on this trip and leave the Isotta at home.

 

[JRCrab]

Did you have any strobes? Going next month and it’s my fourth time but have yet to be stopped. Figure law of averages will hit me at some point.

No strobes. I usually carry a video light on the back of my non-camera hand and aim that at the subject. On this trip I brought a brand new orca torch zd710 zoomable light and a well used big blue 1100 lumen backup light.