US Customs seized package sent with DHL

glh1309 · #**177** 08-24-2010

Hooray! they released it at Cincy. It sure is weird. This the the first time that I have seen Cincy release a clearance delay two days later. In the past a clearance delay on vero has always been the kiss of death. Is it possible that this was a genuine delay caused by a lack of personnel or a breakdown of equipment? Is that why ghostboy's shipment was backed up in HK for five days?

Tuesday, August 24, 2010 Location Time
Departed Facility in CINCINNATI HUB - USA CINCINNATI HUB, OH - USA 05:07
Processed at CINCINNATI HUB - USA CINCINNATI HUB, OH - USA 04:59
Clearance processing complete at CINCINNATI HUB - USA CINCINNATI HUB, OH - USA

Sunday, August 22, 2010 Location Time
Clearance delay CINCINNATI HUB, OH - USA 16:03
Processed for clearance at CINCINNATI HUB - USA CINCINNATI HUB, OH - USA 6:02
Arrived at Sort Facility CINCINNATI HUB - USA CINCINNATI HUB, OH - USA 16:02

**SaiJin** · #**178** 08-24-2010

Alright, thanks for the warning.
I'm going to use just my PO box from now on.

Good thing I really never order much at all and not that frequently nowadays.

trig · #**179** 08-24-2010

they are to busy and I'm ok w/ that!

except for the fact that some dangerous shyt could get thru.

ghostboy · #**180** 08-25-2010

UPDATE:: My package is on the way !! I talked to my seller and he called his dhl rep. A day later the package started moving. It cleared the CINCI CLEARANCE point in 1 hour.

glh1309 · #**181** 08-25-2010

that's good news ghostboy...did the seller explain the lengthy hold in HK?

trig · #**182** 08-25-2010

you didn't hear?

jeffweico · #**183** 08-25-2010

I had a package that left Ghangzhou for Beijing a week ago. It is still in transit. There is a MONSTER traffic jam - heard it was 62 miles long and lasted for 9 days so far - on one of the main highways going into Beijing.

Lately I had one package seized in Chicago (EMS). Not using Chicago anymore. Too risky right now.

teedon · #**184** 08-26-2010

it need to take 9 days from guang zhou to beijing for the parcel?There are so many highways to beijing ,not only 1

forummember · #**185** 08-26-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffweico

I had a package that left Ghangzhou for Beijing a week ago. It is still in transit. There is a MONSTER traffic jam - heard it was 62 miles long and lasted for 9 days so far - on one of the main highways going into Beijing.

Lately I had one package seized in Chicago (EMS). Not using Chicago anymore. Too risky right now.

Heard about this too. But because of this apparently all the others roads to Beijing are becoming congested. The Chinese said the workroads are there for a month, so it might be an idea to get parcels sent from Hong Kong until it clears up. The Chinese government has requested that lorries find alternative routes and obviously this is causing traffic jams elsewhere!

webgoon · #**186** 08-26-2010

I have a package that's been sent via EMS/USPS and has been showing the following:

"Inbound Into Customs"
"Inbound International Arrival, August 04, 2010, 10:40 am, ISC NEW YORK NY(USPS)"

Does that mean it's been held up by customs since 8/4?

TIA!

jbluntz · #**187** 08-26-2010

If you check the ems site rather than the usps site it will probably say handed over to customs, the ems site usually gives you more detail.

webgoon · #**188** 08-26-2010

Thanks for the fast reply. On EMS is shows the following

"2010-08-04 10:41:00 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA USJFKA Handed over to Customs"

So I guess it's been handed over. Do they normally keep it for that long? I mean, I haven't received any notices or calls...?

Here We Go Again · #**189** 08-26-2010

That means it is in the process of going through Customs.
If it is like that for about a week then you will know that it has been seized.

jeffweico · #**190** 08-26-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by webgoon

Thanks for the fast reply. On EMS is shows the following

"2010-08-04 10:41:00 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA USJFKA Handed over to Customs"

So I guess it's been handed over. Do they normally keep it for that long? I mean, I haven't received any notices or calls...?

There is a CHANCE it could be released, but I doubt it. The most likely outcome is a letter from Customs saying they seized the goods.

Contact your seller. Have him re-ship the items. If he does not want to work with you, and you purchased it on Aliexpress or DHgate, you will get a refund - just fax them the letter from customs.

webgoon · #**191** 08-26-2010

Ok thanks, I guess I'll just have to wait and see....no letter yet so still have my fingers crossed.

I hope the seller will re-ship or credit me towards next purchase as the paypal acct that I used to pay them with has been suspended already....

jeffweico · #**192** 08-26-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by webgoon

Ok thanks, I guess I'll just have to wait and see....no letter yet so still have my fingers crossed.

I hope the seller will re-ship or credit me towards next purchase as the paypal acct that I used to pay them with has been suspended already....

I wish you the best of luck, but as a general rule, if a package sits in customs for more than 48 hours, it is not very likely to get through.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

I have NEVER used PayPal to purchase from these sites. Too risky. Others say, just create a stealth PayPal account and you are good to go, but I prefer to use my credit cards, preserving the chargeback option - although I have never had to use it. DHgate, for whatever reason, really hates taking credit cards, they always tried to direct me to use PayPal. But they also have an e-wallet.

E-wallet has worked for me. You can set up an account and Western Union money into it. It costs me $14 to send $1,000. Of course, this eliminates the chargeback option, but they are pretty good about refunding money if an item gets seized by customs. Although 99% of the itme it will not come to that as most sellers are willing to work with you.

The disturbing thing in your case is that this happened in New York, one of the easiest ports to get through.

Was this a large or very heavy package?

webgoon · #**193** 08-26-2010

Thanks for the additional info jeffweico.

No, it's not a large package. It's actually one order broken down into two packages. I received one package already and the other seems like it's just stuck there.

Yes...it's funny that that order was the order I made right before all the suspensions started happening and right before I found this forum. Luckily I had it shipped to my PO box, so at least I'm hoping it's a bit safer.

Been working on going stealth since then so hopefully I'll be able to get back on my feet shortly. This forum has been such a blessing and a great source of knowledge, I just wish I found this sooner.

nobody999 · #**194** 08-26-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffweico

I wish you the best of luck, but as a general rule, if a package sits in customs for more than 48 hours, it is not very likely to get through.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

I have NEVER used PayPal to purchase from these sites. Too risky. Others say, just create a stealth PayPal account and you are good to go, but I prefer to use my credit cards, preserving the chargeback option - although I have never had to use it. DHgate, for whatever reason, really hates taking credit cards, they always tried to direct me to use PayPal. But they also have an e-wallet.

E-wallet has worked for me. You can set up an account and Western Union money into it. It costs me $14 to send $1,000. Of course, this eliminates the chargeback option, but they are pretty good about refunding money if an item gets seized by customs. Although 99% of the itme it will not come to that as most sellers are willing to work with you.

The disturbing thing in your case is that this happened in New York, one of the easiest ports to get through.

Was this a large or very heavy package?

if you pay your seller via western union, how do you get the money if refund is needed?

jeffweico · #**195** 08-26-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by nobody999

if you pay your seller via western union, how do you get the money if refund is needed?

I don't pay the seller. The money is held by DHgate.

There IS an element of risk, but I trust DHgate enough to have $1k in there.

slapped · #**196** 08-27-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by nobody999

if you pay your seller via western union, how do you get the money if refund is needed?

NEVER, EVER, Pay a Seller with Western Union. Even after you get to Know a Seller. There are TOO Many ways to Send/Recieve Money That are much Safer than Westeren Union

nobody999 · #**197** 08-28-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffweico

I don't pay the seller. The money is held by DHgate.

There IS an element of risk, but I trust DHgate enough to have $1k in there.

ok..let's say dhgate does keep it, if there is a problem and dhgate refunds you, do you go to western union to recieve the money back?

jbluntz · #**198** 08-28-2010

Yep, you go to WU to pick it up, unless you use their e-wallet, then they just put the money back in your e-wallet account so then you can make another purchase or withdraw which you would also pick up at WU. I've never once needed a refund from dhgate, so I'm not to concerned about that.