Logitech SBT detained in customs - Pls help!

[TheSeeker]

Hello everyone!

today aft'noon i received a letter through speed-post, from the customs deptt. of mumbai (letter is dated 19th of april; no delay) saying that my so-and-so parcel has been detained for examination at the centre, and am required to furnish some documents to lay claim on it. also, the letter has matter in length about what all items/value is permitted for duty-exclusion (personal use items, gift items and all that). obviously am new to this

now a bit of background. i have ordered few stuff, valuing more than 10k in the past from amazon USA, but never got stuck in customs-'rituals'. this logitech SBT i had ordered on amazon Japan, and gave the address for delivery to a warehouse in Tokyo, from where it was collected by vPost. for onward delivery to India (via Singapore), i paid the shipping amount to vPost through my paypal account, and then the parcel travelled from Japan >> Singapore >> Mumbai, and now is stuck with the customs deptt

i have shot off an email to vPost Singapore asking whether their courier service would be handling the issue or i myself have to. but their response is not something to be praised about, and i wont get any reply before monday noon.

from whatever i have gathered from google, i understand that i will have to mail them the required documents, alongwith a letter stating my intent of usage 'truthfully' , whereupon, the deptt. officials would calculate the duty to be paid, & then send a postman to my address who would collect the duty & deliver the shipment to me. is this the way it happens? kindly enlighten me. also, if anyone could be gracious enough to tell me what & how the letter of intent should be written, or give me a copy of his own letter he might've written sometime back, i would be very much grateful to you

also, i underwent a surgery recently, & walking/travelling is not permitted to me for a few days. hence i can only mail them the documents & the letter, otherwise the letter also states that 'you are welcome to visit the office in person on working days between 1500-1600 hrs', which i wont be able to do. time-limit provided to me is 15 days. so please suggest me friends how should i tackle this. the documents asked for are :

1. Import/Export Code (IEC) [What's this?]

2. Commercial Invoice [i have the amazon e-invoice]

3. Proof of payment/remittance [again, what will be this?]

4. Evidence of value [clueless again]

5. Purchase bill [how can i furnish this?]

kindly suggest. thanks in advance.

P.S. - If anyone needs to see the letter, pls write if i should scan it and upload it here.

 

[hydra]

I don't have experience with this, but I think this what needs to be done:

1) IEC: Just state "Item bought by private individual for personal use and not for resale" against that item. That should take care of it.

2) The Amazon eInvoice should do. Take a print-out.

3) The Amzon eInvoice should do. Also, you must have taken a screenshot of the webpage that states that your order was successful, blah blah. A print out of this would do. Else, you can take a print out of the Amazon webpage in your Amazon user account that lists the details of the item you bought. A photocopy of the credit card statement showing the amount debited would add further information.

4) A print-out of the Amazon listing should be enough. You must have taken a screenshot or printed out that page when you bought the item. There would be an Amazon invoice in the packet itself to provide corroboration.

5) I think the Amazon eInvoice should do for this.

Do PM Santy also. He had to go though a similar situation recently, if I remember right. His experience would give further information.

I'd suggest that you be completely truthful. The only "embellishment" that I'd suggest is to categorize/describe the item as something to do with a computer. Like a "Computer Network Media Delivery Device". You are being truthful here. Adding the word "computer" would help bring down the duty % a bit (as against categorizing it as a consumer electronics item).

 

[arindamcc]

Just produce an application with a copy of Amazon and vpost invoice.I had face similar situation (KOLKATA CUSTOMS).Customs clear my parcel within a week. And also prepare for 24% (duty+tax+post charge+etc) charge of total value.

 

[TheSeeker]

@ hydra & arindam - that was really helpful! would PM Santy too on this.

 

[Santy]

Oops. Thats unfortunate. If you have got the notice, then most likely amazon has not paid duty (surprising since amazon.com and .de take care of this).

Reg. suggestions, Hydra has pretty much summarized what you need to do.
You can
(i) attach a copy of amazon invoice (hope its in English?)
(ii) copy of c.card statement- if you haven't got it yet, you can take printout of online statement.
(iii) write a handwritten letter agreeing to pay the customs duty and requesting to release the item.

In the letter you can mention it is for personal use, its not easily available in India (it helps), that its a computer accessory and that you are ready to pay the necessary duty when its delivered. Don't forget to mention the parcel/ tracking no. Keep the language simple and DON'T try to confuse them. A few words of apology won't hurt (since customs is meant to discourage importing). I actually pleaded otherwise they would have slapped a adjudication fee . Send everything through registered post, avoid courier.

In my case (of importing my DAC), it was grossly undervalued and they had absolutely no clue about original value. I had visited directly to the office (its just at the entrance on left side, inside domestic airport). You can also send one of your friend there along with your letter if possible.

Dont worry, it should get cleared without much of hassle. Chances of confiscation is less than 5% I would guess. If everything goes well, you will get the parcel by post within 2-4 days of the receipt of your letter at customs office.

 

[TheSeeker]

thanks Santy for summarising that for me!

the product was ordered on amazon.co.jp (japan), & shipped to a vPost warehouse in tokyo (direct shipping to india from amazon japan wasn't available), and from thereon, to mumbai via singapore (using vPost's service). i paid the shipping charge to vPost for that, & it didn't include the deposit for duty fee, hence i guess the customs hassle.

i have the necessary documents. the invoice is fortunately in english, with minor portions in japanese, but those too translated. i could've asked the seller (or may be vPost) to undervalue the item, but it didn't occur to me earlier.

anyway, i would do as suggested by you and others. hoping for a desirable outcome

 

[Santy]

What was the outcome finally? Were you able to release it?
How much customs you paid?

Sent from my GT-I9001 using Tapatalk

 

[TheSeeker]

i PMed you a day ago. anyway, posting here too.

i received a call from the PRO of customs office. she said that i will have to pay 5000/- as customs-duty + 5000/- as penatly + 1500 or 2000/- as redemption fine (so total ~11k)! i asked her why the penalty, to which she said its according to new rules, and my consignment didn't have a proper IEC no. (import-export code no., although i wrote the same thing in the letter against IEC no. what was suggested to me above). upon replying that several people get stuff from abroad & pay up the duty, but no fine, she said that they order from companies with proper IEC no., whereas mine has come through post (VPost singapore), hence so.

i asked her if anything could be done to waive the penalty, she said you could write a letter to the deputy commissioner here (Mr. Ruchir Gupta) requesting him to take a lenient view of the matter & pardon the redemption fee, but nothing could be done for the penalty, as its decided from delhi office itself.

could anyone please suggest any way out of this? she was also saying something that you could let the product be with us & buy it later from us itself, or something like this, which i couldnt comprehend much due to signal-congestion, and nor did i ask her to repeat that, since i was too busy thinking about this shocking penalty thing. anyway, i could ask her about this option later too. but after this penalty, the cost becomes approx. the price of the product itself. now am lamenting why i went for this stupid deal on amazon japan for a few bucks less (which now turns to be a hurting one), when i was getting a 4-months used SBT on HFV itself. please suggest some way around if anyone could.

UPDATE: upon thinking a bit hard, i guess by saying you could buy from us later, she meant if you decline to pay up the duty & fine & don't take your product now, we would keep it, & when the regular customs-sale comes up, you could then buy your product. this is what i comprehend now.

 

[soulofmusic]

Man.... sad story!!!

 

[TheSeeker]

Man.... sad story!!!

am in desperate need of some alternative. am even ready for the proposed 'customs sale' thing if doesn't mean shelling out an insane amount of money :sad:

after your offer, i had a couple of more offers, & was about to make a deal final with an FM when HDFC emailed me about international shipments at discounted rates through VPost, and my eyes fell on SBT's japanese amazon price, and now here i am. had i ever had any inkling that i could get mired in such a thing.........

 

[haisaikat]

Had you done international shipping by amazon Japan would this been a clear case then?

 

[psinghal]

She is conning you, plain & simple. Non commercial users do not need an IEC. Also since you are in Mumbai, Delhi customs has nothing do with it. It would be worthwhile for you to go to the customs office and meet them personally.

 

[TheSeeker]

Had you done international shipping by amazon Japan would this been a clear case then?

unfortunately the product listing didn't have the option of international shipping. by no seller for the particular product.

 

[TheSeeker]

She is conning you, plain & simple. Non commercial users do not need an IEC. Also since you are in Mumbai, Delhi customs has nothing do with it. It would be worthwhile for you to go to the customs office and meet them personally.

even i am beginning to feel so.

 

[Santy]

Hi TheSeeker
Sorry to hear that the customs are playing havoc in your case. These people are crazy they will bend the rules as they wish. I wanted to reply to your PM from broadband but it expired.

It is still not clear whether you visited them personally or you have been corresponding through letter and phone only. Visiting them and convincing them could sometimes work.

Yesterday I came to know that one of my colleague's father is a Superintendent in Mumbai customs so I sought his help. You could PM me your detention no. and parcel no. Let us try our luck.

Meanwhile if everything fails, you will still have a chance of winning that auction like that lady hinted. I don't think anyone else would be ready to pay a sum which you might be willing to bear at this point of time.

Sent from my GT-I9001 using Tapatalk

 

[hydra]

Just crosslinking from another thread: http://www.hifivision.com/diy/19688-best-ever-deal-loudspeaker-kits-115.html#post364710

Please look at post #1148. There's an image posted there that gives information that's available here: Importer Exporter Code Number or IEC Code No in India. | DGFT

Here's an edited excerpt from that webpage:

The following categories of importers or exporters are exempted from obtaining Importer - Exporter Code (IEC) number:
...
Persons importing or exporting goods for personal use not connected with trade or manufacture or agriculture.
...

And the relevant code number applicable to you would be (edited excerpt):

S.No Code Number Categories of Importers / Exporters

5 0100000053 Persons / Institutions / Hospitals importing or exporting goods for
personnel use, not connected with trade or manufacture or agriculture.

I think that by "personnel" they mean "personal". *rolls eyes*

@TheSeeker, I think you should mention this to the lady you spoke to.

 

[TheSeeker]

Hi TheSeeker
Sorry to hear that the customs are playing havoc in your case. These people are crazy they will bend the rules as they wish. I wanted to reply to your PM from broadband but it expired.

It is still not clear whether you visited them personally or you have been corresponding through letter and phone only. Visiting them and convincing them could sometimes work.

Yesterday I came to know that one of my colleague's father is a Superintendent in Mumbai customs so I sought his help. You could PM me your detention no. and parcel no. Let us try our luck.

Meanwhile if everything fails, you will still have a chance of winning that auction like that lady hinted. I don't think anyone else would be ready to pay a sum which you might be willing to bear at this point of time.

Sent from my GT-I9001 using Tapatalk

i haven't visited them. all the correspondence till now has been through letter & phone. its at a very wrong time that i have received the notification when i can't go & visit them. i understand it could help much, but i would be able to do so only atleast after the upcoming week.

i am messaging you the necessary details. who knows, it may really work out!could be of immense help. thanks a lot for your endeavour!

Just crosslinking from another thread: http://www.hifivision.com/diy/19688-best-ever-deal-loudspeaker-kits-115.html#post364710

Please look at post #1148. There's an image posted there that gives information that's available here: Importer Exporter Code Number or IEC Code No in India. | DGFT

Here's an edited excerpt from that webpage:



And the relevant code number applicable to you would be (edited excerpt):



I think that by "personnel" they mean "personal". *rolls eyes*

@TheSeeker, I think you should mention this to the lady you spoke to.

thank your very much! its a solid proof, & could come in quite handy. But I dont intend to speak to them (or the lady in this case) over the phone now. Probably only just a day before when am prepared to go & pay them a visit directly.

 

[GeorgeO]

Looks to me like they are trying to shake you down. A friend got 2 OAudio plate amps shipped from the US( $350X 2) without any IEC number.

 

[TheSeeker]

Looks to me like they are trying to shake you down. A friend got 2 OAudio plate amps shipped from the US( $350X 2) without any IEC number.

certainly every response till now seems more or less to indicate that they are trying to play dirty (even i sensed so while talking to the PRO over the phone, and now understand that i wasn't wrong to feel this). moreover, their claim that 'since you got it through post (VPost Singapore, which is probably just like borderlinx, etc) is why you are being penalised' seems to be the cherry on the cake! i am trying with a couple of 'other' methods to assert my stance in the case, until am fit to knock at their door personally if things still don't go straight. my not being able to pay them a visit till now is what is the biggest hindrance i presume :sad:

 

[GeorgeO]

This friend also got it through the Post office, though if IIRC he ended up "tipping" someone there.