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[OM] OT: Customs Duties

Subject: [OM] OT: Customs Duties
From: Jan Steinman <jans@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 4 May 1999 18:41:03 -0700
[WARNING: rant 'n rave follows...]

>From: "Tomoko Yamamoto" <tomokoy@xxxxxxxxx>
...
>The US Customs opened the package and passed it free...
>
>Does anyone have an explanation for this customs free treatment?  Is it
>because
>the lens is used?...
>
>Perhaps there are others who can tell us about their experience with the
>US/other countries Customs with respect to photo equipment.

I think there is no rhyme nor reason. I recently had to pay nearly $40 in
customs duties on a used lens shipped from Canada! I thought the "FT" in
"NAFTA" got rid of such things! And to add insult to injury, the USPS
slapped a $3.75 non-refundable "collection fee" on top of the customs
duties! I wasn't aware the USPS was a "profit center" for other branches of
the US government!

The postal employee was sympathetic, but useless. She said to write a
protest letter to customs, but that still wouldn't get me the $3.75 back --
the only way to not pay that was to refuse the package! Buearocrats!

: Jan Steinman <mailto:jans@xxxxxxxxxxx>
: 19280 Rydman Court, West Linn, OR 97068-1331 USA
: +1.503.635.3229

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