Knife stuck in customs

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CatWithAHat

CatWithAHat

Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2020
Messages
12
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27
Location
Vilnius, Lithuania
Hello fellow knife enthusiasts,

I was expecting to receive my Saji gyuto knife from Japan last week, however it got stuck in customs. Apparently fedex representative said JapaneseChefsKnife listed the package as being 12€ worth and it's being held due to description not being correct as it lists kitchen cutlery but there are other things in package such as camellia oil, rust eraser, fish tweezers. You don't have to be an expert to realize that this package is worth way more than 12€. I'm sincerely scared to lose some of the items I ordered, or the package altogether, or having to pay crazy fees to customs. Has anything like that happened to you? Did you have to pay taxes to customs? Has your package been seized? Especially those in the EU shipping from Japan. Thank you for your replies.
 
I ordered two Misonos from JCK last month, arriving into the Netherlands, but no customs :) Total worth was around 240 euro. I got confident and ordered a Watanabe from Japan. Two days after it was shipped I got a message from UPS ordering me to pay 90 euro customs... On a 410 euro order. I guess it is hit and miss?
 
I had a situation once where my stuff got stuck in German customs coming from Japan (for jeans though), and I had to prove all sorts of stuff. I had to show PayPal/credit card statements--realistically, I just made a bunch of stuff up and they eventually released it.

I imagine the process in NL is similar to DE, you'll probably need to contact the customs office and explain things, blah, blah, and they may want proof of value, then I'd just reach out to JCK and have them help you out.

In my situation, the company I ordered through was really accommodating (they'd obviously jumped through these hoops themselves) and they actually made up invoices for me, ultimately saying that the products I was receiving were promotional prototypes or something, and virtually worthless. I imagine under enough scrutiny it would have fallen apart because they could have just googled the jeans and known their true value, but the Deutschers eventually relented and I received 'em.

I imagine JCK's been through similar things if they're willing to mark a package with a value of 12€, they'll probably help you out after you know what you need from the authorities :D
 
Thank you very much for your replies. The idea to ask JCK to help me out sounds great! Thanks, haven't thought of that. It was very strange for me at first that they marked it for 12€ without request lmao
 
All over the EU customs are getting a much more tight control over importing things soon. Curently Germany, I believe, has the most vigilant/strictly applied customs.

New EU rules changing the amount you can import without paying VAT and duties are in place starting Jan 1st, 2021. Previously the max VAT exempt amount was 22 euro, soon that amount is 0...

Foreign sellers selling items (max sales value of 150 euro) are encouraged to register an Import One Stop Shop VAT number which allows them to add VAT at checkout and send the shipment (using their IOSS VAT number which the seller can register in any EU country) having the goods sail through customs without hiccups, monthly the seller pays the VAT they received and the EU country receiving it figures out which country gets what share of the VAT thus received.

Postal services will also have to do the VAT declaration dance where they used to be exempt. (suspect THAT will take a big chunk out of 'free shipping')

To me that means that ali et al 'free shipping' is dead in the water, as is all cheap import...not sure if that really 'levels the playing field' as advertized but for sure it will make buying cheap stuff less interesting.

The old route is also open, so anyone can still declare any amount for a package, I expect there will be lots of additional scrutiny on the actual value of the content now the exempt is gone. Using the good old 'Sample without value' is likely going to become more tricky too, as I suspect the required automation (soon?) and handling capacity in place will add lots of checks.
 
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To import stuff and not expecting to pay tax on top is naive.
Will be interesting for how long it will stay in Customs and how they handle it. In Germany you can expect 2-3 weeks usually.
Maybe there is a real billing inside so they can use that. What likely will be happening that you have to go to Customs, declare the right amount and show proof of it.
If they still refuse to give you the package that's on the seller since they declared it wrongly which is a crime.
Also super stupid of JCk to declare it as kitchen cutlery and not kitchen tools which first of all is easier to get through especially with the declared value and makes more sense when you have other stuff in there too.
 
Now that is a bit harsh IMO, avoiding paying taxes is a favorite pastime for many companies including private citizens ;-)

Do not extrapolate the thorough (borderline rigid, pun intended) way the German customs handles import and export to all EU countries, all countries are (as always with the EU) interpreting the EU legislation in their own way.

I'd advise the TS to find out first WHO is holding the package (is it FedEx or customs), and if it's held by customs what local policies are in place and how best to handle. Just contact whoever s holding it, ask for clarification and stay dumb but honest... Meaning do not offer any information on who did what, go fact finding and then draw your route to a solution. You should not lose the package or any part unless you import illicit goods, you may well end up paying whatever VAT is apliccable and a fee to FedEx for handling customs.
 
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Wahnamhong said:
I ordered two Misonos from JCK last month, arriving into the Netherlands, but no customs :) Total worth was around 240 euro. I got confident and ordered a Watanabe from Japan. Two days after it was shipped I got a message from UPS ordering me to pay 90 euro customs... On a 410 euro order. I guess it is hit and miss?
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You got held up by UPS handling the customs 'for you', the difference is likely how the shipper completed the paperwork (and/or what shipper was used). 21%VAT plus fee adds up to 91 euro easily, hope you did not pay the 10% or so VAT in Japan too (should not have to, exporting the goods).
 
Yeah that is the tricky part. I think when you buy from a retailer such as jck you pay the VAT in Japan. Pretty sure of it in fact, so it should be considered export. So you end up paying VAT in both Japan and your home country if they dont realize you already paid VAT in Japan. I wonder how do you actually get to know when you paid VAT and when not.
 
CatWithAHat said:
Yeah that is the tricky part. I think when you buy from a retailer such as jck you pay the VAT in Japan. Pretty sure of it in fact, so it should be considered export. So you end up paying VAT in both Japan and your home country if they dont realize you already paid VAT in Japan. I wonder how do you actually get to know when you paid VAT and when not.
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I just checked my most recent order from JCK and I don't see a specific VAT amount on the order confirmation. So, I cannot determine whether or not Koki charges Japanese VAT. I will ask him.

Looking at Knives and Stones Australia you do see that VAT is being deducted.
 
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ON my orders from JCK/Koki, I was not charged Japanese VAT. Why would I, it's not like I'm taking them 'home' to Tokyo. Same with purchases in the EU, EU VAT is never charged and why would it be?

Regarding FedEx and UPS charging customs duties, there is a profit motive for them to do so because they get to charge a 'service fee' for the service.

On a related note, while in the Netherlands for an unexpectedly long period, I had to get my blood pressure meds sent. The pharmacy used UPS and on ~$30USD retail package, I was billed 95Euro in Frankfurt for customs and 'fees'. :mad:

I get paying customs duties for jeans and jewelry but, prescription medicines for medical needs? :mad:

And yes we complied with the rules for sending medicine across the border.
 
Hey all. I am fairly new to the forum. I have had several knives shipped from Japan to me in Canada. In my experience I have never been charged duty when the item was shipped via post and ALWAYS charged duty through a courier.
 
Ensis said:
Hey all. I am fairly new to the forum. I have had several knives shipped from Japan to me in Canada. In my experience I have never been charged duty when the item was shipped via post and ALWAYS charged duty through a courier.
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Customs duty policy and enforcement vary from country to country and from carrier to carrier. That's part of the reason we hear of problems from certain countries when many others had no issues from the same country.

Sometimes it is just luck of the draw when some random bureaucrat singles out your package.
 
goods into the EU: you do not pay VAT in the country of origin, pay VAT and sometimes duties depending on what type of goods. You can have the courier take care of customs and VAT/Duties so you end uyp paying them for both AND their services, or you can handle customs and VAT/duties yourself.

Fees for handling 'customs brokerage' can be hefty which is what I think caused the ridiculous fee paid for the medicines being sent..probably just because the meds were declared incorrectly as I suspect there are ways to get them imported without fees...or you could have gotten them through a Dutch pharmacy (have someone send the Rx to them by email -or fax...pharmacies still LOVE faxing....with an explanation upfront and you should be OK, especially as it was no schedule 1-2-3-4 drug)

basic rule is: couriers usually use the safest/fastest route for them through customs, you pick up the bill anyway. If you want to avoid surprisingly high fees you need to check out the rules and manage the courier.
(I recently paid almost 1000 euro in VAT, duties and customs brokerage fee on a package just shy of 3000 euro....flying to Russia picking it up would have been cost effective)
 
I have had two knives stuck in customs (from the US). Both sent with USPS and delivered via the Danish equivalent. One was taxed. I got it with a broken tip indicating that the idiots in customs had dropped it (or worse) when they unpacked it (repaired the tip and the knife looks beatiful today 😄😄). This specific package was unfortunately sent using an old Amazon box so I suspect that is why it was opened. I had another package inspected by customs and I thought that always meant "opening it" but in was released unopened and not taxed😓
I would advise always ship in a neutral box . I am not even sure they can tax a private to private purchase??
 
government can tax everything, it's up to you to open a dispute if you don't agree...if the shipment has no commercial goal, does not exceed a certain amount in value (45 euro), is incidental, destined for personal use and you paid nothing there is no requirement to pay VAT etc...at least that is Dutch law, I suspect it's similar across the EU.
 
For EU customers, ordering in Japan or the USA, is tnere anything we could say to the vendor to minimise the chances of having to pay import fees?
 
I actually wonder if we can ask them to write it as a gift haha, sounds way more legit than falsifying costs/fake invoices/etc. I'm actually a bit scared right now because I was planning to make an order for christmas from Japan with some tamagoyaki, takoyaki, fish shaped waffle pans and stone kettles/iron pots. I bet if they see a huge box like that they'll tax it crazy even if a pan is like 20€.
 
Wahnamhong said:
For EU customers, ordering in Japan or the USA, is tnere anything we could say to the vendor to minimise the chances of having to pay import fees?
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have them declare it's a sample without value (telling them it's an offence declaring invalid values), hope they do that for you and IF you are religious pray...for the Netherlands; a lot comes through as customs probably only samples regular stuff and is focussing on drugs/counterfeit/dangerous stuff.

O and make sure it does not enter the EU in Germany, goods entering in Liege (Belgium) or the Netherlands likely up your chances (believe FedeX has a hub in Liege, not sure about that) as customs is done when entering the EU, not at the final destination.

These days I suspect there is a database, if an adress comes up more than once in a while and the sender varies no alarms will go off, is it a conspiracy theory to suspect our government is profiling shipments?

As long as you have the proof for the original price you can always fight the VAT they make you pay, OR you have the vendor add an itemized proforma invoice with the shipment listing all items with their value.
 
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CatWithAHat said:
I actually wonder if we can ask them to write it as a gift haha, sounds way more legit than falsifying costs/fake invoices/etc. I'm actually a bit scared right now because I was planning to make an order for christmas from Japan with some tamagoyaki, takoyaki, fish shaped waffle pans and stone kettles/iron pots. I bet if they see a huge box like that they'll tax it crazy even if a pan is like 20€.
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Sounds like you have some wonderful gifts in mind for friends and family! They certainly have something special headed their way.
:dining:
 
You guys have it easy... Here, the Customs official has legal power to "interpret the actual value of the good". In other words, even if the invoice says the product is something cheap, he can disagree and issue a tax value based on the product's "true value" :rolleyes:. So on a $200 knife with an invoice of just $20, you won't get it tax free. Usually, though, the Customs agent will issue a value less than the actual $200, but for sure it's going to be something close to that.
 
LUWerner said:
You guys have it easy... Here, the Customs official has legal power to "interpret the actual value of the good". In other words, even if the invoice says the product is something cheap, he can disagree and issue a tax value based on the product's "true value" :rolleyes:. So on a $200 knife with an invoice of just $20, you won't get it tax free. Usually, though, the Customs agent will issue a value less than the actual $200, but for sure it's going to be something close to that.
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same here, don't get the impression it's easier here. I've seen cases where Customs valued things much higher than the actual value and it's an uphill battle to get that corrected. Declaring lower value than actual value is illegal and whether it works depends on how clear it is you are way off and if the package is actually inspected.
 
If it does get over-valued, legally you can contest it, but it's VERY bureaucratic and takes almost a month. I for one don't ever ask for a seller to declare as a gift or declare a ridiculously low value because if the package is big, it will attract attention from Customs. And if they take a look and find the declared value not to their liking, your wallet will get shafted.
 
Lying on Customs declarations isn't a good idea for many reasons. I get some people just want to 'game the system' and like the challenge and you can argue the ethics in many legal jurisdictions but, you open up Pandora's box a good deal. If you don't agree with the tax policies of your home country, work to change them or move!

On the flip side, if you enjoy public roads, schools, etc., taxation is a big part of the reason you have them. Without enforcement, you end up living in a third world country where bribes and nepotism rule the day, and where fairness and equity have no merit in everyday life.
 
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