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EMS tracking showing "Handed over to customs"

vzilla912
Community Member
Hi Guys
I lived in India and i purchased a pair of soccer boot on ebay.com from a seller from china and this is my tracking status:
Date/Time (GMT+8) Location Activity
2009-10-22 19:02:00 JIADING Posting
2009-10-23 09:33:00 1844 Despatch from Sorting Center
2009-10-23 19:24:52 SHANGHAI Arrival at Sorting Center
2009-10-24 02:23:27 SHANGHAI Despatch from Sorting Center
2009-10-28 09:04:00 REPUBLIC OF INDIA MUMBAI PAR Arrival at Sorting Center
2009-10-28 12:07:00 REPUBLIC OF INDIA MUMBAI PAR Handed over to Customs

So can anyone please kindly tell me "handed over to customs" is a normal procedure or there is a problem.
The seller has marked the item as gift and its value as 40$ but the real value is 160$.Does gift item required an invoice?
Thank you
Message 1 of 32
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31 REPLIES 31

Re: EMS tracking showing "Handed over to customs"

tacharya3
Community Member
Hi,
whether the product handed over to customs is normal process or something else. Because I have no idea at all regarding this. Can anybody help me regarding this ?
What action I have to take to collect the product ?
Is there any legal process issues about this ?
This is my first experience to purchase something from international. So I am in confused state. Kindly support me...
Thanks
Tribikram..
Message 11 of 32
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Re: EMS tracking showing "Handed over to customs"

electro-mad-netics
Community Member
Hello,
It all depends upon how hot your item is and shoes are hot items. Rule is - If price/value is clear or for low vlaue items, custom people will calculate the duty and postman will collect it from you. There will be additional rupees 100 charge for this service.

If value is not clear or for high value items, Indian Custmos people will send a notice to you (importer) and ask you to present at foreign post office on a certain day (when your packet will be unpacked). Paper will also contain columns like what is source of foreign funds used to buy this item / importer license number etc (but forget it, no body cares or asks about it. Not for personal use items). They will assess the duty and if you have any differences, you have to explain it there. After final settlement, you have to sign some papers. And then you go to your home (they will not handle goods to you). Now postman will come and collect the duty (+rs 100) from you and handle the goods to you.

But from my past experience, what actually happens (Foreign Post office, New Delhi) is very frustating. Most important thing, my item was a useless thing for 99% people in india (it was record player needle with cartrige - very small in size and weighs about 10 grams but there are 5 pieces). Last year, I had received notice on 16th may and date of opening the packet was 14th may. They had sent the notice on 8th may but even domestic delivery took 8 days. USPS handled it india post on 1st may. Notice came by normal mail (they should have used the speedpost or at least registered airmail). I think it happens with almost all buyers. Indian customs is not serious enough even for priority mail items and this way they get more chances to grab our items. Anyway, i went there next day. Nobody seemed to cooperating and on the 3rd or 4 th floor there was a very big hall where 100s of packets lying around everywhere (plenty of shoes). Except one or two people, everybody was looking for EXTRA income. After so many up and downs (lift was not working), explaining to so many people (supervisor, custom inspectors etc), they assesed the price of my item to Rs 10000 (actual price was $70 that is Rs 3200 approximately). Duty was max 36%. Some people were rude there. Custom inspector was nice in behaviour and after several requests and arguments (i said you can check the price from net), they agreed to reassess the value. Further arguments.....Finally i said (angrily) you can keep the items, i dont need then at this price. Finally, they assessed value to be rs 5000 and duty was around RS 1800. Still at loss, but i had wasted whole day and rs 300 on petrol, so i agreed.
Now, it was FCO's (fourth class officers example peon) turn to harras the buyers. They had asked few 100s to find the file, repack the packet. Initially, they had asked for cold drink so i offered rs 50. They all (three in number) laughed at it. Finally i had to shell out rs 150.

Three days later, postman came to my house and collected the duty + Rs 100 service charge and handled the items to me. There were 2 postmen in my area one was very gentle and other one was very greedy. Unfortunately, greedy one was there with packet and he said- hey ! look like there is some duty with this packet (rs 1800)and serive charge Rs 100, what would be my commission. I, already frustated, scolded him and tried to (only pretending) dial at foreign post office. He gave me that packet immediately and collected the rs 1900 from me.

Well, that happens to items which are useless for most of the people and have no resale value in India. Cloth, shoes, mobile, laptop, ipod, fashion acessories are hot items and they will try every trick to grab it and resale it from backdoor (quoting reason - buyer did not pay duty or did not contacted even after notice). They know, plenty of notices sent by normal airmail get lost in the way. Even if item is there and you can check it online at USPS (or ant other site), they will say no so that after 20 or 30 days, they declare it as unclaimed item and auction/ sell it to people who have contacts in customs for such things.
Technology gives headache to these people. In past there is no way to find the item now we can track every movement of our item. Why cant indian custom people use SMS/ email to inform us about our item. They scan and check every packet and after that they send a notice. When they open packet in front of you, they already know what is inside it.

There was also a dhaba/restaurant just outside the gate of foreign post office. Price was high comapring to standard of dhaba and plenty of oilrich dishes. If you order 1 vegetables, 1 dal and 4 chapati or 2 parantha total will be rs 200 plus. Plenty of peon/clerks /officers used to eat / order there. That will be Rs 5000 per month (25 days).

Moral of the story - If you see any low class dhaba with expensive rates outside any govt office, then be prepare to pay bribe from top to bottom.

Good luck
Message 12 of 32
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Re: EMS tracking showing "Handed over to customs"

sales.india
Community Member
@electro-mad-netics
it was fun reading what u wrote..and the moral of the story was indeed true!!lol
Message 13 of 32
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Re: EMS tracking showing "Handed over to customs"

fitvika
Community Member
This is raelly a worst situation, if you buy any thing from china. indian customs will treat you like a smuggler. aslo customs knows that all the items which bought from china is low valued and send as a gift.
Message 14 of 32
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Re: EMS tracking showing "Handed over to customs"

Deevesh can you please contact me? I really need an agent to clear my ebay package from mumbai customs. thanks

Message 15 of 32
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Re: EMS tracking showing "Handed over to customs"

Deevesh can you get me your number I have one packet at mumbai customs
Message 16 of 32
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Re: EMS tracking showing "Handed over to customs"

Hi Devesh,

 

 
I am M Sunil Kumar from Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh have yet to receive a package from Mumbai Air Customs Department which the package was sent initially 
from Singapore on March 24 and reached Mumbai on March 31 2014 and still not yet reached Hyderabad
 
 Could you please provide me the respective agent number for gettting my package.
 
Regards
M Sunil Kumar
 
Message 17 of 32
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Re: EMS tracking showing "Handed over to customs"

Whoever has their product handed over to customs status, go to that customs office. They will clear your product instantly.
Message 18 of 32
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Re: EMS tracking showing "Handed over to customs"

There is no agent who handles small cargos. So for your personal needs you need to go there. It will take just half an hour
Message 19 of 32
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Re: EMS tracking showing "Handed over to customs"


@msuniliitkgp12 wrote:

Hi Devesh,

 

 
I am M Sunil Kumar from Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh have yet to receive a package from Mumbai Air Customs Department which the package was sent initially 
from Singapore on March 24 and reached Mumbai on March 31 2014 and still not yet reached Hyderabad
 
 Could you please provide me the respective agent number for gettting my package.
 
Regards
M Sunil Kumar
 


Hi,

 

Have u got your delivery.

 

Actually my item (used lens) is also sent to customes 4 days back, but no status updated since then.

 

Thanks

Message 20 of 32
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