topic Re: Customs seized goods. Can I get a refund in Buying

Customs seized goods. Can I get a refund

wise.guy.sam — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 08:37:57 GMT

Hi all,

I recently purchased some rogain hair treatment product from a seller from the US. This is not the first time I have purchased this and each time I have not had a problem. Until today.

My package had been opened and the goods have been seized for being dangerous by Australian Customs. I'm not sure why this has been overlooked before but if it is against the rules to import this to Aus than fair enough.

However I did spend about $55 (+$13 shipping) and wanted to know if I can claim this from the seller. I have no doubt that he sent the goods but I obviously haven't been able to receive them. I don't want to leave him short but if he is the sender does that make him responsible.

Has anyone had a problem with this before and/or have any advice for me.

Thanks,

Re: Customs seized goods. Can I get a refund

putney32 — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 09:09:05 GMT

the onus on clearing thru Customs is the Buyers, so NO you cannot expect the Seller to refund.

Customs & Quaranteen will have sent you a letter/notification as to why the goods were inspected and seized and/or destroyed.

if their letter to you is not clear you can phone them and using the reference number speak to an officer.

Re: Customs seized goods. Can I get a refund

patchoo78 — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 09:40:02 GMT

Yes, they like to send you really long letters.. And after this they'll prob be watching you now, it happened to me when I tried to import a slingshot

Re: Customs seized goods. Can I get a refund

kopenhagen5 — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 09:40:56 GMT

As suggested, I would contact the customs department to get clarification on it's importation to Australia.

Re: Customs seized goods. Can I get a refund

wise.guy.sam — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 09:43:45 GMT

Thanks for the prompt response. I'll give customs a call and suss it out. Glad I asked, I wouldn't want to cause problems for the seller if it's not his issue.

That's a real damn shame and a costly mistake.

Re: Customs seized goods. Can I get a refund

kustomizer99 — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 12:36:14 GMT

You can buy Regaine within Australia from online chemists, and probably from actual storefronts as well.

Customs inspections are random, which is why your imports hadn't been seized before.

Re: Customs seized goods. Can I get a refund

cq_tech — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 14:35:13 GMT

Yes, they like to send you really long letters.. And after this they'll prob be watching you now, it happened to me when I tried to import a slingshot

Same here when I tried to import a slingshot last year. Received a nice, long official letter "warning" me not to do it again, but as it turned out, I didn't need to.

Patch, for future reference, you can buy slingshots and spare rubbers (& ball bearings, etc.) locally from almost any Outdoors & Camping store. Only difference is you'll pay 3X the price, that's all. 😉

So why are they banned imports if they're readily available in local stores? I've no idea, but you can bet the law applies to a lot of items which should normally be allowed into the country.

Re: Customs seized goods. Can I get a refund

austeam — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 23:51:35 GMT

I thought slingshots were an illegal weapon, but that might depend on State law. When my son was attending the PCYC in Townsville for afterschool care I was called into the policemans office to be told my son was manufacturing illegal weapons... a rubber band and rolled up balls of paper between his fingers. I thought it was a joke but the cop seemed quite serious so I asked what was the point he was trying to make. He just wanted it clear that although rolled up balls of paper are harmless slingshots are still illegal.

Re: Customs seized goods. Can I get a refund

patchoo78 — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 00:44:35 GMT

You can buy slingshots and spare rubbers (& ball bearings, etc.) locally from almost any Outdoors & Camping store.

Not where I live you can't... Apparently they are not legal in NSW unless you have a permit, but you can buy them in QLD at the markets!.. We have an Army disposals/camping goods/gun shop but you can't buy them there anymore

Re: Customs seized goods. Can I get a refund

patchoo78 — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 00:48:16 GMT

aus, from what I read of the importations list involving weapons, you can't import them in to Australia, but it's ok to make your own.. That policeman needs to read up on his restricted weapons list and state laws.. They are legal for sale in QLD, I've seen them on a camping goods website, and you can apparently buy them at some markets

Re: Customs seized goods. Can I get a refund

austeam — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 03:45:47 GMT

I just did a quick search and the Qld Weapons Act of 1990 does specifically mention Slingshots: http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/LEGISLTN/CURRENT/W/WeaponsA90.pdf

I don't think it is illegal to own one, its just illegal to carry one in a public place or to use one :^O

Re: Customs seized goods. Can I get a refund

patchoo78 — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 12:54:31 GMT

The one I looked at last year for NSW said you could have a home made one

Re: Customs seized goods. Can I get a refund

il_troy_li — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 09:20:57 GMT

What about laser pointers over 1mw (the ones that can burn a match head)

Re: Customs seized goods. Can I get a refund

lyndal1838 — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 16:52:32 GMT

No, laser pointers over 1mw are prohibited.

You can check on the Australian Customs site for all prohibited items.

Re: Customs seized goods. Can I get a refund

il_troy_li — Fri, 02 Aug 2013 22:28:06 GMT

Thanks for your input I thought that to I heard it was made that way because some idiot pointed one at a plane and now they are banned in aus because the priminister decided that one idiot should make all Australians pay

Re: Customs seized goods. Can I get a refund

bitsrnissin — Mon, 05 Aug 2013 16:18:19 GMT

Manufactured a slingshot with a rubber band between fingers... that's so funny! What a nanny country we live in!

Re: Customs seized goods. Can I get a refund

bitsrnissin — Mon, 05 Aug 2013 16:27:14 GMT

Rogaine seems like a really weird thing to seize.

It might be as simple as the fact that it's a pharmaceutical and might be the type that is only available through pharmacies.

Either that or I have a sneaking suspicion that the Americans have a version that is different to the one approved here. An example of that would be Xenadrine. In the US it contains ephedra, a Chinese traditional herb that raises metabolism and diminishes hunger along with other caffeine or speed like effects. It also has vitamins and other herbs do basically nothing. Ephedra is illegal here so the Xenadrine available in Australia does not contain Ephedra and is about as effective as an ashtray on a motorcycle.

So the Regaine stuff available in Australia might actually not be the same thing. If you were considering Regaine it might be worth finding out if it's the same stuff.

Re: Customs seized goods. Can I get a refund

bitsrnissin — Mon, 05 Aug 2013 16:34:46 GMT

I ordered some paint pearls and metalflake once and it was taking ages to get to me from the US. When it finally arrived it had "inspected by customs" tape sealing it.
I guess an envelope full of little bags of powder must've aroused suspicion, lol.
It's the only thing of mine that's ever been opened so I guess everything else looked fine through the x-ray machine.

Re: Customs seized goods. Can I get a refund

lyndal1838 — Mon, 05 Aug 2013 21:15:19 GMT

Customs have always done random checks on parcels coming into the country.

It does not mean that they were suspicious of anything....just that your parcel happened to be lucky.

I buy a lot from overseas, plus we have family in the USA and Canada and a few years ago I used to have several parcels a year opened for inspection. It does not happen as much now...it must be 2 years since anything has been opened.

Re: Customs seized goods. Can I get a refund

darbylovesjaz — Sat, 06 Jul 2019 01:25:30 GMT

Yes you are entitled to a refund because you did not receive your item