UK customs

[gojira]

I have just been checking my ebay sales and saw that a package that I shipped to the Uk on Monday has just been released from customs. This makes me wonder since I ship cigars to the UK on regular basis, are UK customs allowed to do that? They shouldn't be holding or inspecting packages that are shipped from France since EU laws are still in act. Or am I wrong? Does anyone have a little more information on this?

[Sligub]

I have just been checking my ebay sales and saw that a package that I shipped to the Uk on Monday has just been released from customs. This makes me wonder since I ship cigars to the UK on regular basis, are UK customs allowed to do that? They shouldn't be holding or inspecting packages that are shipped from France since EU laws are still in act. Or am I wrong? Does anyone have a little more information on this?

Tobacco is exempt from free trade if from a retailer or if money has changed hands, all duty has to be paid up front or the cigars are subject to seizure.

[gojira]

Tobacco is exempt from free trade if from a retailer or if money has changed hands, all duty has to be paid up front or the cigars are subject to seizure.

Yes I know this, but the package that I just shipped to the UK had a biik inside. That's why I was wondering. And there was no need to declare anything for customs since the free trade law within Europe still applies to the UK.

[ha_banos]

You have to declare if its a gift or otherwise what it is.

If it's not a gift it'll be subject to import duty. Then vat on that duty.

https://www.gov.uk/goods-sent-from-abroad/tax-and-duty

If you don't label it I wonder what process it goes through?

[gojira]

That's just what bugs me. There's a label but there's no need to declare anything since the UK is stil part of the EU. Customs shouldn't have touched the package I sent out on Monday in the first place. A bit over zealous on their part, isn't it?

[thedame007]

Someone let Boris into the Mail Room again?

[Cubist]

Had you paid all the relevent Duty & VAT upfront to HMRC?

[gojira]

Had you paid all the relevent Duty & VAT upfront to HMRC?

There are none to be paid since the package was sent from France to the UK.

[ha_banos]

There are none to be paid since the package was sent from France to the UK.

If it's a gift.

If not. There may be import duty.

Was it sent as a gift?

[Horsebox]

Mike, UK customs or Border Force are still permitted to check incoming mail, even from the EU (section 4 below explains why).

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/notice-143-a-guide-for-international-post-users/notice-143-a-guide-for-international-post-users#postal-packages-received-from-other-eu-countries

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[Shaun]

You will have to get the ferry over to post those monte 5 then

I have had many parcels from Germany and the tracking always says something like 'released from customs' it just means they have past the border post and on their way to the sorting office, not necessarily that they have been inspected.

[gojira]

If it's a gift.

If not. There may be import duty.

Was it sent as a gift?

Marc and Shaun helped me clear the matter up in their posts.

[gojira]

Mike, UK customs or Border Force are still permitted to check incoming mail, even from the EU (section 4 below explains why).

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/notice-143-a-guide-for-international-post-users/notice-143-a-guide-for-international-post-users#postal-packages-received-from-other-eu-countries

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Thank you Marc! This clears everything up!

[gojira]

You will have to get the ferry over to post those monte 5 then

I have had many parcels from Germany and the tracking always says something like 'released from customs' it just means they have past the border post and on their way to the sorting office, not necessarily that they have been inspected.

Thank you Shaun, I guess that I don't have to worry. I will have quite a few packages to ship to the UK next week. Maybe I should fly them over, I don't want to get sea sick on the ferry and throw up over all the cigars that I would be bringing.