Cancelled flight/duty free

Last night my flight was cancelled. All the flights this morning are full
and I was only going for a 1 day meeting so trip cancelled and I came home.

I didn't, but let's suppose for a moment I had purchased some duty free (as
in not within the EU). I guess strictly speaking I have to declare it
(unless it's less than my import allowance to the UK anyway). What do
customs do? Apply the rules or turn a blind eye?

Suppose I had been going home. The airline was putting people in hotels
but those people still had to enter the UK with their duty free.

"Graham Harrison" <edward.harrison@castle.> wrote in message
news:cvukdl$ach$1@titan....
> Last night my flight was cancelled. All the flights this morning are
full
> and I was only going for a 1 day meeting so trip cancelled and I came
home.
>
> I didn't, but let's suppose for a moment I had purchased some duty free
(as
> in not within the EU). I guess strictly speaking I have to declare it
> (unless it's less than my import allowance to the UK anyway). What do
> customs do? Apply the rules or turn a blind eye?
>
> Suppose I had been going home. The airline was putting people in hotels
> but those people still had to enter the UK with their duty free.
>

Several years ago I had to offload from an international flight (from LGW)
after checking in and entering the secure area - I was escorted from the
secure area through to the exit and asked on the way out (I think by an
airline official not a customs official) if I had purchased duty-free - I
guess if I had said yes I would either had to pay the duty or maybe been
given the option to return the goods. If I had said no (and purchased some)
I would be guilty of smuggling.