Customs confusion

[Slender]

Some time ago I ordered e-liquid, spare batteries and atomizers from one of the UK suppliers. Today I've got phone call from local Customs Office asking me to come to collect a parcel from UK. By the way the Customs Officer asked me to describe the contents of the parcel. He wondered the parcel of weight 700g costs 347 GBP. Knowing that local customs have no clue yet what is E-cigarette I tried to describe as clear as I could. I said an E-cig is a substitute of a real cigarettes, e-liquid contains a nicotine and will be converted to vapor by means of the atomizer powered by the battery which are also included to the parcel, bla, bla, bla...I'm sure my explanation was not clear to the customs guy as he asked me how to classify the parcel. He said he is going to classify it as "mouthpiece" from his catalogue and calculated the customs duty as 140 GBP8-o. So my bloody parcel will cost me a fortune. Also I heard they may ask me for certificate for above. Tomorrow morning I'm going to their office... Will appreciate any suggestions on how to classify my parcel and how to lower the customs duty

 

[D_Struct]

Telling someone that it's hardware for an inhaler also might help.

I'm sure you did a good job describing the device, though.

 

[esmok-e]

Some time ago I ordered E-liquid, spare batteries and atomizers from one of the UK suppliers. Today I've got phone call from local Customs Office asking me to come to collect a parcel from UK. By the way the Customs Officer asked me to describe the contents of the parcel. He wondered the parcel of weight 700g costs 347 GBP. Knowing that local customs have no clue yet what is E-cigarette I tried to describe as clear as I could. I said an E-cig is a substitute of a real cigarettes, e-liquid contains a nicotine and will be converted to vapor by means of the atomizer powered by the battery which are also included to the parcel, bla, bla, bla...I'm sure my explanation was not clear to the customs guy as he asked me how to classify the parcel. He said he is going to classify it as "mouthpiece" from his catalogue and calculated the customs duty as 140 GBP8-o. So my bloody parcel will cost me a fortune. Also I heard they may ask me for certificate for above. Tomorrow morning I'm going to their office... Will appreciate any suggestions on how to classify my parcel and how to lower the customs duty

Welcome to the "legal" world of e-cigs. There are specific customs codes for each item and tariffs on them for both the origin and destination. Some of those tariffs can be pretty steep. Pertinent tariff codes have been in effect since 1983, if you know what they are. That takes a lot of legal re$earch. When they ask for certificates, you better have them!

You look like you are in the Ukraine and I don't have any knowledge of the customs regulations there... but here in the US that's how it works between China and the US. Customs on both sides of the pond. One could try to get away with mis-labeling and other ways around it but that's a risk that will cost in more ways than one in the long run.

It doesn't look like you are a supplier, so your worries are less, but now you can see what the true cost of this is. 347.00 GBP = 502.831 USD!!! on top of what you already paid for product and shipping just to get it in the door.

 

[Lakota]

... Also I heard they may ask me for certificate for above. Tomorrow morning I'm going to their office... Will appreciate any suggestions on how to classify my parcel and how to lower the customs duty

If it were me, I would claim it is a camping survival device. One end has an l.e.d. flashlight for when I lose my way and the other end has a vaporizer for sending smoke signals when I realize even with a flashlight I won't find my way home.

 

[Misty]

Maybe you can try to classify it as electrical accessories..batteries (fits in there nice & snug), vaporizers..(atomizers) electrical component which heats up liquid and the eliquid as herbs mixed in some oil (PG) for nice fragrance & taste..like hooka herbs..
Either way, good luck!..keep it uncomplicated..

 

[esmok-e]

If it were me, I would claim it is a camping survival device. One end has an l.e.d. flashlight for when I lose my way and the other end has a vaporizer for sending smoke signals when I realize even with a flashlight I won't find my way home.

You are a genius!

 

[jmoney]

inhaler + refills is what it says on the stuff that usually comes from the UK for me and not once is it held up

 

[Slender]

Thanks for advices guys. Today I have used the one from jmoney:

inhaler + refills is what it says on the stuff that usually comes from the UK for me and not once is it held up

The customs advised I have to pay so much of customs duty because of the suppliers mistake. The supplier could split my order into two separate parcels to make lower price of each in the invoice as according to ukrainian law all international parcels which cost more than 200 euros are subject to 30% of customs duty. Next time I will think very well before placing an order to foreign suppliers

 

[Boston George]

Just a heads up.
I don't know how things are in the Ukraine. However, in the USA one tactic customs uses to arrest people for importing illegal goods is to asking them to come and claim it. Basically they use your active role in coming to pick up the package as proof positive that you were attempting to import something illegal.

 

[Stike]

Just a heads up.
I don't know how things are in the Ukraine. However, in the USA one tactic customs uses to arrest people for importing illegal goods is to asking them to come and claim it. Basically they use your active role in coming to pick up the package as proof positive that you were attempting to import something illegal.

Good job George that's exactly what I was thinking.Love the picture George won't of fell for that one

 

[Avid]

If it were me, I would claim it is a camping survival device. One end has an l.e.d. flashlight for when I lose my way and the other end has a vaporizer for sending smoke signals when I realize even with a flashlight I won't find my way home.

Damn, that's creative. lol I love it!

 

[esmok-e]

Just a heads up.
I don't know how things are in the Ukraine. However, in the USA one tactic customs uses to arrest people for importing illegal goods is to asking them to come and claim it. Basically they use your active role in coming to pick up the package as proof positive that you were attempting to import something illegal.

Posting your customs issues and tracking info on this forum won't help either.
If they can put together a tracking number and your forum ID, they could get a court order for your personal info at anytime and demand everything back even if it's long out the door. Not only that, they will bill you by the hour until they do and their "investigation" (persecution) is completed.

 

[Boston George]

Yea I don't see why people give out their tracking numbers. Moreover, it would be foolish to assume officials aren't at least aware of this forum, let alone actively watching it.

 

[TropicalBob]

Given how Australia went about things, I have long assumed the FDA was making screen grabs of this forum's content. I'm not sure they get a laugh out of the angry claims of payoffs, improper influences, incompetence, etc.

A textbook example of how to anger an agency would include many posts about the FDA on this forum. Hopefully, the agency is above anger and petty vengeance. Hopefully, reason will prevail. But many here certainly have done our cause no good.

 

[Raven_Blackblade]

Given how Australia went about things, I have long assumed the FDA was making screen grabs of this forum's content. I'm not sure they get a laugh out of the angry claims of payoffs, improper influences, incompetence, etc.

A textbook example of how to anger an agency would include many posts about the FDA on this forum. Hopefully, the agency is above anger and petty vengeance. Hopefully, reason will prevail. But many here certainly have done our cause no good.

Given I am new here, but some examples would be educational not only for me but for others so that they know how to and how not to act.