Different DHL Tracking update question.

[tacoma]

I've been importing for about a year now. I've had the 'Just destroy the package, don't send it back.' call with DHL once.

This past week was horrible for getting through L.A. Gateway, and I caught a couple of weird updates on DHL tracking, ones that I've never seen, and are now gone.

I have a shipment that has supposedly cleared customs, after being here for 3 days, and after getting the 'clearance' event, and 'Contact DHL'.

I had given it up to the customs gods, and have replacements arriving. But I don't call DHL for 5-7 days after the clearance event, as I've had a few be cleared without my intervention. So I really have no real idea what the situation is as I haven't called yet, and wanted to wait for a tracking update to help make the decision for me.

The brief morning update last week to DHL tracking that concerned me was this.

"Shipment is being transferred under bond to another facility."

"The shipment will move under bond and be lodged in the next port once approved for transfer."

That was only up for a few hours, then went to the default 'Contact DHL'.

As of Friday, says: "Shipment has been given a release by Customs"

Anyone have experience with this?

[tacoma]

Anywho, turns out to be the standard 'send back to shipper'. It's best to tell DHL to tell customs to destroy, otherwise huge return freight bill to your vendor.

Found out some great info though. It's time to change up some things if you guys haven't.

[tacoma]

I'm gathering inventory for Christmas, and I guess everyone else is too. I thought for sure the cut backs at customs would ease things up.

I didn't see much on new Customs/DHL tips, and I have never seen the 'Bond' update ever. Didn't show up in search anywhere here.

[tacoma]

The main tidbit I was able to garner from this incident was that there was an increase in full secondary searches for packages with the final destination being to California. Specifically, 'Any zip codes that start with a 9.' Which is all of California.

I can't be certain that it's true, or that it's a particularly new level of enforcement. I've known that there was a higher percentage being taken with California destinations, I just figured it was because of the sheer volume heading to Cali.

[newjerseymax]

If I lived in California I would go out of business with all the tight restrictions you got going on there. Must be great to live in neighboring state and sell in cali

[rsot]

Larger the importation tacoma, the more open you are to seizures - just the way things go these days regardless of location

[tacoma]

It pays to have a method of importation outside of Cali, yet be based in Cali. Other then the weather and beach, there isn't a good reason to be in Cali.

Yea, wish I had the problem of large importation. I'm a small fry.

[GreenBean]

They still go after small fry.

No importer is immune from Customs.