cisono Posted 6 March 2009 Posted 6 March 2009 I often order stuff from the US. I am very careful to ensure that the goods' value is under £18. On 21st Feb, I placed an order from a website I've been using regularly over the last year, they shipped promptly on 22nd Feb. I normally get the parcel a week later, so I had been wondering where these two parcels had ended up. This morning I get a card through the letterbox saying "Payment due: £10.96 + £10.96" There is a customs charge. Of course there is, the bloody pound has devalued since I placed the order. Just checked and the value of the goods is now £20, so indeed it is over £18. This is hardly my fault though!!! It didn't help that Customs held my parcels for at least a week before deciding what to do with it. So my choices now are: - pay another £22 to get my two parcels (valued at £40). This involves having to go to the post office.... OR - don't bother and let Customs have my garlic supplements (hope they get stomach ache from them) AND perhaps - place another order, all the stuff in one parcel and be resigned to pay a Customs charge. Would this customs charge be the same in total or less? (Shipping charges would be less on a single big package than on several small ones)
Guest Bilo Posted 6 March 2009 Posted 6 March 2009 I worked on cruise ships from September 2007-March 2008 and while I was in the Caribbean I decided to purchase some very nice Cuban cigars. When flying back to the UK, I had to catch a connecting flight in Atlanta. My hand luggage was searched and I thought nothing of it. Upon arrival in Manchester I thought I'd get my cigars out to celebrate my return to the UK. The cheeky cvnts at US customs had nicked them while going through my bag! I knew they had because I hadn't been in the compartment of my bag since leaving the Dominican Republic and I had double-checked to see if they were still there at that point. Ten Partagas gone! I hate US Customs.
Sir Fynwy Posted 6 March 2009 Posted 6 March 2009 I worked on cruise ships from September 2007-March 2008 and while I was in the Caribbean I decided to purchase some very nice Cuban cigars. When flying back to the UK, I had to catch a connecting flight in Atlanta. My hand luggage was searched and I thought nothing of it. Upon arrival in Manchester I thought I'd get my cigars out to celebrate my return to the UK. The cheeky cvnts at US customs had nicked them while going through my bag! I knew they had because I hadn't been in the compartment of my bag since leaving the Dominican Republic and I had double-checked to see if they were still there at that point. Ten Partagas gone! I hate US Customs. It's illegal to import cuban cigars into the US, you were lucky they only took them out. Generally the cuban cigar sellers in the caribbean will give you fake labels saying they are jamaican cigars (or other nation) so that you can get past US customs with them.
Guest Bilo Posted 6 March 2009 Posted 6 March 2009 It's illegal to import cuban cigars into the US, you were lucky they only took them out. Generally the cuban cigar sellers in the caribbean will give you fake labels saying they are jamaican cigars (or other nation) so that you can get past US customs with them. Does that count if you're just passing through then? If so, it may help to lessen my anger.
Sir Fynwy Posted 6 March 2009 Posted 6 March 2009 Does that count if you're just passing through then? If so, it may help to lessen my anger. It counts if you have to clear customs in the US at any point in your trip.
Guest Bilo Posted 6 March 2009 Posted 6 March 2009 It counts if you have to clear customs in the US at any point in your trip. To use a word that a redneck would almost certainly use in this situation, Dang!
Lillehamring Posted 6 March 2009 Posted 6 March 2009 same thing happened to me, sort of, i purchased a DS game (batman) from play.com for 20 euros or summat (it was 17 quid), and i didn't realise that they must have been like 2 krone over the threshold, when i went to collect them i got charged £15 in tax and vat and stuff... i just paid it cause it was still cheaper than buying it here, tho i could have had it a month earlier.... i'm sure they over charged me tho, that's almost a hundred %
Babylon Posted 6 March 2009 Posted 6 March 2009 I've ordered loads from America and never paid a penny.... yay!!!
BoneDog Posted 6 March 2009 Posted 6 March 2009 I often order stuff from the US. I am very careful to ensure that the goods' value is under £18. On 21st Feb, I placed an order from a website I've been using regularly over the last year, they shipped promptly on 22nd Feb. I normally get the parcel a week later, so I had been wondering where these two parcels had ended up. This morning I get a card through the letterbox saying "Payment due: £10.96 + £10.96" There is a customs charge. Of course there is, the bloody pound has devalued since I placed the order. Just checked and the value of the goods is now £20, so indeed it is over £18. This is hardly my fault though!!! It didn't help that Customs held my parcels for at least a week before deciding what to do with it. So my choices now are: - pay another £22 to get my two parcels (valued at £40). This involves having to go to the post office.... OR - don't bother and let Customs have my garlic supplements (hope they get stomach ache from them) AND perhaps - place another order, all the stuff in one parcel and be resigned to pay a Customs charge. Would this customs charge be the same in total or less? (Shipping charges would be less on a single big package than on several small ones) Why don't you just eat proper garlic? They only 45p and full of cadbury goodness. If you take that little green strip that goes through the middle out, I think that gets rid of the smell. I saw it on a cookin programme. Was it a super special kind of supplement?
BoneDog Posted 6 March 2009 Posted 6 March 2009 I worked on cruise ships from September 2007-March 2008 and while I was in the Caribbean I decided to purchase some very nice Cuban cigars. When flying back to the UK, I had to catch a connecting flight in Atlanta. My hand luggage was searched and I thought nothing of it. Upon arrival in Manchester I thought I'd get my cigars out to celebrate my return to the UK. The cheeky cvnts at US customs had nicked them while going through my bag! I knew they had because I hadn't been in the compartment of my bag since leaving the Dominican Republic and I had double-checked to see if they were still there at that point. Ten Partagas gone! I hate US Customs. My uncle used to work on a Cruise ship in the Caribbean fixin fruit machines. He had to fly to Miami, stay there a few days and then get on a ship and sail round paradise for 6 months. Sounds like a party. They hired some bikes on one island and went out of the tourist zone. One of them was lagging behind and someone with a machete jumped out of the trees and robbed the bike! Might make ya heart race a bit when a big rasta jumps out the trees with a machete!
cisono Posted 6 March 2009 Author Posted 6 March 2009 Why don't you just eat proper garlic? They only 45p and full of cadbury goodness. If you take that little green strip that goes through the middle out, I think that gets rid of the smell. I saw it on a cookin programme.Was it a super special kind of supplement? It was just an example. It was a variety of stuff I cannot get here :-) I do eat garlic too, never tried removing the green strip, will have a go (though that might be the bit that has most of the nutrients that are good for us!). The supplement I ordered is supposedly very good and stronger than actual garlic, has no nasty eccipients and it is for those days when I don't fancy eating garlic or when garlic breath is not an option I've ordered loads from America and never paid a penny.... yay!!! Neither had I, until now. Little did I know that the pound was about to take another dive on the international currency markets... same thing happened to me, sort of, i purchased a DS game (batman) from play.com for 20 euros or summat (it was 17 quid), and i didn't realise that they must have been like 2 krone over the threshold, when i went to collect them i got charged £15 in tax and vat and stuff...i just paid it cause it was still cheaper than buying it here, tho i could have had it a month earlier.... i'm sure they over charged me tho, that's almost a hundred % In my case, it's 50% of the value of the supplement (at today's rate), would be about 60% of the value at the time of ordering...
BoneDog Posted 6 March 2009 Posted 6 March 2009 It was just an example. It was a variety of stuff I cannot get here :-)I do eat garlic too, never tried removing the green strip, will have a go (though that might be the bit that has most of the nutrients that are good for us!). The supplement I ordered is supposedly very good and stronger than actual garlic, has no nasty eccipients and it is for those days when I don't fancy eating garlic or when garlic breath is not an option I have wondered the same thing myself and have never removed it just incase. I just eat the lot, and I am addicted to sniffin my fingers after chopping it!
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