Cuban curios up in smoke

Travel reader BRETT JOHANSSON read with interest our Cuba story in last week's issue and e-mailed this cautionary tale for readers who may be inspired to visit the Caribbean island.

* "I have just come back from the States and Cuba and thought an experience I had may be relevant," he wrote.

"After spending a week in La Habana I flew to Cancun, then to Dallas Fort Worth as my first point of entry to the United States, cleared US customs and immigration with a flight to Houston for a three-day stay.

"When I was at the front of the queue at Dallas Fort Worth a buzzer sounded which randomly selected me for a thorough search.

"I was aware of the US embargo on Cuba but mistakenly thought it just applied to cigars. I found it applies to all Cuban products.

This resulted in me helping them destroy all my goods, namely cigars, T-shirts, kids' toys, ashtrays, mugs and tipping out their very fine rum."