Need help/advice - anyone good with customs?

Se7ven

Se7ven

Se7ven

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Joined
7 Nov 2009
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Heres the story, I have a very good friend in Iceland who needed a new computer and since I deal closely with UPS I told him that if he sent me the money I could buy it for him (saving him several hundred pounds given the cost of electronics in Iceland), so that's what we did.

I sent it to him via courier on Friday thinking it would get there without problem, I put a value of £50 on it and reason for export as a Gift, thinkin customs wouldnt question it.

Anyway customs have held it due to "unrealistic weight/value ratio" so after 2 days of trying to get this out of customs they first said they wanted a new invoice with the real description of goods and real value (which was sent to them) now they are asking for the REASON FOR THE GIFT?!

Does anyone know the best way to handle this situation or what to say so they will release the package?

Or what is the worst case scenario, what will happen?

Customs are a pain in the ass -_-
 
Worst case they will get proper valuation of good and charge the full duties on it. Either he has to pay or the goods will be confiscated.

You could try and bluff that it was a birthday gift but the fact that you gave a £50 value will make them suspicious that you are trading without paying duties.
 
TBH you're saving what, £5 declaring it as a gift? (gift limit is £36 instead of £18 ish)...
 
Oh and is this UK customs of Icelandic customs?

UK customs don't deal with stuff going out of the country AFAIK so it must be Icelandic customs, which none of us know about...
 
Suppose you could say it was a birthday present and if they subsequently ask you about the value if they open it up you could just explain that it was a surprise present and you didn't want to give the game away. I suspect you'll end up having to pay duties though.
 
It doesn't matter if its a gifrt or not - it is still libel for VAT and import tax.
(Why people STILL think gift=straight through customs with no charge I'll never understand).

Iceland customs are doing what any other customs would do.
It is their responsibility to make sure what is being sent is correctly marked and valued.
You don't think customs would allow something illegal to exit their country and rely on customs at the other end picking it up?

The fact it was marked as "gift" is almost certainly why it was picked up - the system has been attempted abused far too often.
 
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