Customs inspection of shipment
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1
Customs inspection of shipment
I have just been informed by my removal company that my container has been flagged by the US Customs and specifically the US Dept of Agriculture for inspection. This will apparently add a further 2 weeks to the delivery date and an estimated additional cost of $2,000!!!
Have any other Brits out there experienced this situation; are we expected to roll over and play dead and not challenge the necessity of these inspections? My removal company charged me a fortune for packing the goods in blighty to their high standards - excluding food and washing Bikes etc; so why the need for an inspection. Is there a lack of trust between UK removal companies and the US Customs?
Is it just me or do I smell a fish; how do we know there is not a scam going on here ??
Please let me know if you have had a similar experience
Paul
Have any other Brits out there experienced this situation; are we expected to roll over and play dead and not challenge the necessity of these inspections? My removal company charged me a fortune for packing the goods in blighty to their high standards - excluding food and washing Bikes etc; so why the need for an inspection. Is there a lack of trust between UK removal companies and the US Customs?
Is it just me or do I smell a fish; how do we know there is not a scam going on here ??
Please let me know if you have had a similar experience
Paul
#2
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,966
Re: Customs inspection of shipment
Try a search - I think some people's charges have magically reduced or gone away when people asked the removals company for an itemised receipt.
#3
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 14,577
Re: Customs inspection of shipment
You're being ripped off.
#4
Re: Customs inspection of shipment
I have just been informed by my removal company that my container has been flagged by the US Customs and specifically the US Dept of Agriculture for inspection. This will apparently add a further 2 weeks to the delivery date and an estimated additional cost of $2,000!!!
Have any other Brits out there experienced this situation; are we expected to roll over and play dead and not challenge the necessity of these inspections? My removal company charged me a fortune for packing the goods in blighty to their high standards - excluding food and washing Bikes etc; so why the need for an inspection. Is there a lack of trust between UK removal companies and the US Customs?
Is it just me or do I smell a fish; how do we know there is not a scam going on here ??
Please let me know if you have had a similar experience
Paul
Have any other Brits out there experienced this situation; are we expected to roll over and play dead and not challenge the necessity of these inspections? My removal company charged me a fortune for packing the goods in blighty to their high standards - excluding food and washing Bikes etc; so why the need for an inspection. Is there a lack of trust between UK removal companies and the US Customs?
Is it just me or do I smell a fish; how do we know there is not a scam going on here ??
Please let me know if you have had a similar experience
Paul
An itemised receipt though, a good idea
#5
Re: Customs inspection of shipment
If you've shared a container, my experience is that odds of getting pulled for inspection are much higher & nothing to do with you or trust between the US gov't and your agent.
That's for the stuff we bring in from the East.
From reports posted here from people coming your direction, it's more likely (especially for that fee.. very high!) that your agency is trying to get one over on you.
That's for the stuff we bring in from the East.
From reports posted here from people coming your direction, it's more likely (especially for that fee.. very high!) that your agency is trying to get one over on you.
#6
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 2,212
Re: Customs inspection of shipment
If you've shared a container, my experience is that odds of getting pulled for inspection are much higher & nothing to do with you or trust between the US gov't and your agent.
That's for the stuff we bring in from the East.
From reports posted here from people coming your direction, it's more likely (especially for that fee.. very high!) that your agency is trying to get one over on you.
That's for the stuff we bring in from the East.
From reports posted here from people coming your direction, it's more likely (especially for that fee.. very high!) that your agency is trying to get one over on you.
I was informed that my container had been inspected by customs. (Its in the small print, under additional costs, together with the we promise in 6 weeks but can take 6 months to deliver catch) So i told them that I would pay after I had in my possession the ORIGINAL INVOICE stamp and all from customs, not one of the make up ones on the PC!!!! funnily the charge was dropped! and i never did get to see the original bill!
its their coffee fund this inspection charge!
Last edited by Deedee13; Feb 10th 2008 at 4:42 pm.
#8
Re: Customs inspection of shipment
Just about all containers are being inspected now. The US changed sometime back from just a few to working towards 100%.
Ours got inspected at LAX Jan07, can't remember the exact amount but it was a few hundred dollars. We had sole use of a 20ft container.
Ours got inspected at LAX Jan07, can't remember the exact amount but it was a few hundred dollars. We had sole use of a 20ft container.
#10
Re: Customs inspection of shipment
The container our little shipment of 50 boxes was in was searched. We weren't charged a penny by anyone.
US customs has no reason or requirement to trust UK removal companies. They are not licensed in any way by US authorities. And the people who packed your container are only one link in the chain of people that has had access to your container and the ship it travelled on. The ships travel to all manner of places on their routes.
US customs has no reason or requirement to trust UK removal companies. They are not licensed in any way by US authorities. And the people who packed your container are only one link in the chain of people that has had access to your container and the ship it travelled on. The ships travel to all manner of places on their routes.
#11
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 2,212
Re: Customs inspection of shipment
The container our little shipment of 50 boxes was in was searched. We weren't charged a penny by anyone.
US customs has no reason or requirement to trust UK removal companies. They are not licensed in any way by US authorities. And the people who packed your container are only one link in the chain of people that has had access to your container and the ship it travelled on. The ships travel to all manner of places on their routes.
US customs has no reason or requirement to trust UK removal companies. They are not licensed in any way by US authorities. And the people who packed your container are only one link in the chain of people that has had access to your container and the ship it travelled on. The ships travel to all manner of places on their routes.
Customs no matter what country they are in working for whatever country, has a job to do full stop, dont matter where anything comes from not just the UK!
The question was, should any charges brought up be questioned. Too right! any body wants any money from me I need the paper work to go with it! When I have the paperwork they can have the money.
#12
Re: Customs inspection of shipment
Do you have a source for this info? I've got reason to believe that not very many actually get inspected! I know about their goals, but I wondered if you have updated info on actual inspections?
#13
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 14,577
Re: Customs inspection of shipment
They're nowhere near inspecting every container... but I can't remember the ratio of inspected to not. (although they might run them all through the nuclear detection machine by now)
#14
Re: Customs inspection of shipment
wow..... US CUSTOMS HAS NO REASON OR REQUIREMNET TO TRUST UK REMOVAL COMPANIES!
Customs no matter what country they are in working for whatever country, has a job to do full stop, dont matter where anything comes from not just the UK!
The question was, should any charges brought up be questioned. Too right! any body wants any money from me I need the paper work to go with it! When I have the paperwork they can have the money.
Customs no matter what country they are in working for whatever country, has a job to do full stop, dont matter where anything comes from not just the UK!
The question was, should any charges brought up be questioned. Too right! any body wants any money from me I need the paper work to go with it! When I have the paperwork they can have the money.
#15
Re: Customs inspection of shipment
I know that under the "old" rules the number inspected was 2%. But what do they call an inspection. I believe the 100% was x-ray inspection not a open the container and a physical one.