Mexico Customs Surprises: Pills, Vapes, and Laptop Rules

Key Points

Crew warning: AFAC officials at MMSD asked a crew member to carry unknown pills back to the U.S. – possible setup. Decline, document, and don’t touch.
Vapes banned: Mexico officially outlawed vapes in Jan 2025. Fines can exceed $1,000; multiple devices may trigger criminal charges.
Device limits: Customs is enforcing a one-laptop/tablet rule per person. Extra devices may be taxed at 19% – no crew exemptions.

Flying to Mexico has always come with a few quirks, but there have been a few notable developments recently that crews should be aware of. Here’s a quick look at some of the latest updates – from strange inspections to unexpected customs issues. Might be worth a heads-up to your team before your next trip south.

The “would you mind taking this bag?” situation

A recent report out of MMSD/San José del Cabo raised eyebrows. After clearing customs and immigration without issue, a crew member was asked to step into the AFAC office. There, officials presented them with a ziplock bag full of prescription pill bottles and asked if they could take it back to the U.S. The crew member wisely declined.

Was it a test? A setup? It’s unclear – but it looked staged, and could easily have ended badly. If something like this happens to you, the advice is simple: stay calm, politely say no, ask for everything in writing, and don’t touch anything you haven’t personally verified. Accepting unknown items could lead to serious legal trouble or even aircraft seizure.

Vapes are banned. Like, officially.

As of January 17, 2025, Mexico has fully outlawed the import, sale, and use of electronic cigarettes and vapes. And they’re taking it seriously. While using a vape once inside the country might not get you stopped, bringing one in definitely could. If customs finds it, you could be fined over $1,000 USD. If you’re carrying more than one or two (there’s no official threshold), they might consider it “intent to distribute,” which could lead to massive fines or even jail time. See this post for more info.

So yes, it’s worth telling your passengers and crew to leave the vapes at home – this isn’t the place to test the system.

That laptop in your flight bag might cost you

Mexico has a long-standing rule that only one laptop or tablet is allowed per person when entering the country. We’ve heard from members that customs officers are starting to enforce this again. One crew reported being stopped at MMSP/La Paz because they had more than one device and were told they’d be charged 19% of the declared value.

And no – aircraft iPads, iPhones or EFBs don’t get special treatment. The rule applies per person, regardless of what the devices are used for. Declaring them as commercial equipment can actually make things worse. So best to split up the gear among the crew and passengers or avoid overpacking the electronics.

If you have been to Mexico recently and have a story to share – please do! Reports like these are super useful for everyone in the group. File an Airport Spy report anonymously here.

Mexico Customs Surprises: Pills, Vapes, and Laptop Rules