Sick of the huge amount of customs interference?

[tyecat]

I have noticed over the last few months or so, a huge amount of customs opening boxes clearly labeled fragile and handle with care, but they don't seem to understand the meaning of this. I am now warning people I buy off that this is happening and to make sure anything fragile is really securely packed. I am so sick of opening parcels and they have been broken or truly rifled through. I trust the sellers I buy from and I know for a fact they would never sell me a broken item unless they have stated this. I understand the need for certain security and to stop illicit things, but the buck has to stop somewhere. Is it so hard just to X-ray an item to know it is safe?
I have had three Franklin Mint dolls broken by this process, it is not fair to me the buyer and also the sell, who obviously has a right to know their item has been damaged.

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

I asked a USA seller to mark the package "FRAGILE" and he told me he may as well mark it "PLEASE KICK ME LIKE A FOOTBALL" as the package would be treated poorly if marked Fragile.  I trusted his judgement, the package had no warning stickers/signs, and it arrived 100% perfect.

Perhaps having "Fragile" or "Handle with care" is a red flag for customs to open it up and look for contraband.  Maybe the labelling is drawing attention to the package and making it stand out from the rest.

I'd stick with requesting, and offering to pay a little extra for appropriate packing materials for the journey through postal services and customs.

[lyndal1838]

I used to get items opened by Customs fairly regularly and they were always repacked well and nothing was ever broken.

It must be several years since they inspected anything of mine....maybe the novelty has worn off because in thousands of overseas parcels they have only found one problem.  A seller had not removed the contents of a pot pourri holder as I asked her to do.

I got a slap on the wrist, the offending contents were removed and the holder was repacked and forwarded to me.

Oh, and a plate was sent in a used pizza box...Customs removed the box, repacked the plate and sent it on, along with a letter warning of the dangers od used pizza boxes....as if I had any say in what the seller packed it in.

[ytwo000]

customs,the postal system,couriers etc..you think they care ?..NO chance.

[ajarnjenny]

I have never had anything opened by customs. I thought that they just sent the beagles in for a sniff around.

[harley_babes_hoard]

I've had quite a few parcels inspected given where I import my goods from LOL. I have always found them to have repacked the boxes well.

[padi*0409]

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@ajarnjenny wrote:

I have never had anything opened by customs. I thought that they just sent the beagles in for a sniff around.

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ROFL jenny, I've got a seller in Japan that packs my items with a mixture of polystyrene peanuts and Japanese crackers (a bit like Cheesels but with some really strange flavours!!!!!!!!!!!) - the beagles haven't found them yet..................................

                                                                                                            

[ajarnjenny]

Although I haven't had any parcels opened by customs, every time I am coming through customs in Aus, the beagles run up to me and sniff my bag. There is no fruit or food in my shoulder bag, but I have carried fruit and food in it on my travels.

I give them great marks for that.

Although, all dogs and all animals for that matter, love me. I am a magnet for animals. I had a blue tongue under my bed last week.

[i-once-was-bump]

I bought a jacket from Columbia through ebay and that was years ago and still everytime I go to a railway station in Sydney the police dogs always give me an extra sniff. I often wonder what it is about that jacket.

[i-once-was-bump]

 I had a blue tongue under my bed last week.

A beer or a lizard or is there something else you would like explain to us?