Indian Customs

[prashant9996]

I bought a Sony PSP from ebay.com on 16/10/09. The seller was from USA and I buyed the item for $75 + $20(Shipping). Before shipping I told him to mark the item as a gift. He than shipped the item on 19-Oct-2009 through USPS and he also gave me the tracking no. But the PSP have not been delivered to me till now, 47 days have been passed and the tracking service is also not updating. I have contacted the seller many times but he always say that the item is caught in Indian customs because it is marked as gift. I live in Haryana and I don’t know how to contact Indian customs. I am also ready to pay the custom fee but I am not able to find any contact information of Indian customs. So I request other ebay members to provide me contact information of Indian customs or tell me any other way through which I can get my item.

THANKS!!!!
:-(

[dsparklezz]

If its sent through USPS, then you should be able to track the item.If its caught with Customs,then you can see it when tracking on USPS. Customs can verify and charge duties anytime even if the item is marked as gift.Usually customes would release it own its own, by attaching the custom duties if any and you need to pay it at the time of delivery.Sometimes it takes longer than expected.I am not sure how far its feasible to contact customs from your end, if you have someone to send to them , that would be better.Is it Mumbai Customs?May be you could wait for some more days.I had the same experience once, when I bought from USA,it got stuck at local customs and luckily we could contact them and they released it.

I am sure you would get more info on this from our fellow members.

Thanks
Laya.

[prakash_bafna]

Hi Prashant,there is weight in what seller says..indian customs officials often hold the packaage without bothering to inform the recipient..its avery common practice in "mera bharat mahan".does your tracking show which place it is stuck?if not go to your nearest GPO,get phone nos.of nearest foreign post office,i think it must be in delhi which is nearest international airport to you...all inbound international mail is received in 4 metros..mostly foreign post offices are located at airport in cargo section...best way is go through a custom clearing agent which you will find in abundant at the airport itself...even though RBI notification says there is no restriction on internet shopping for personal use,these people often hold it under pretext of non IEC code item(import export code)...i think this should help.

[niceshop4u]

Dear Sir,

open dispute first by Paypal if u paid then. Cause none of Indian Customs will held items more then 2 months. or else it will be on auctions.

And any of electrical items will charge 5 % straight from Indian customs. not more than that. and If price is below 15,000 INR. then you dont need to pay any customs. as thats the law of customs.

your seller is lieing.

Kind regards,
Chinmay

[madmahesh2009]

Hi my Blackberry Storm2 sent on Dec 6th has not arrived yet.After doing some research i found some useful as well as horror stories from various users who have bought mobile phone from the foreign using USPS or EMS.

Normally if the phone is declared true value and marked as gift or for personal use it must reach you with the option of paying the customs duties(13.73% - 40%) to the post man and you will receive it.

In case you do not receive it for a long time say 1 or 2 months even then there are two possibilities.

1.Hamara hindustaani postal department or customs dept workers have looted your parcel.

2.It is seized by the customs in which case you must receive a letter (no wonder some letters would reach a quarter century later making your name appear in newspaper and making you famous 😉 ).In that case you will have provide proof that you have imported it for your personal use only and you must provide them a valid invoice regarding the true value.Some say you can appoint a customs house agent to grease the hands of the customs officials to release the parcel without much formalities like writing letters.The parcel will be released with added duties and penalties for mis-representation of the value and you will have to pay the money to the post man and receive the parcel.

If you are lucky enough to get through the second step (in the case if your parcel is seized by customs) go ahead and contact a customs house agent to release the parcel.They levy you a small fees.

I hope this information has been useful.

[rmspkvclt5101]

my parcel worth Rs 6600$ stuck on customs which tax was already paid and now asking IEC import export code and demurage charges starting from 1250 rs upon no of days,so that i am not going to accept it and sender have to send it again damn indian customs looting peoples money in improper way

[the_anglo]

I bought 3 Egyptian antique idols from ebay UK the Indian customs has ceased it and now the ASI is dealing in the case I bought them for Rs. 24000 but as the customs has ceased them I cannot get my money back. I don't know what will be the outcome. Me having the bill and all.

[the_anglo]

The matter is me being unaware of import of antiqutie being illegal.
What will be the penalty I'm afraid.
No support from the seller or ebay.UK team.