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Need advice with Mexico customs

Toolbert

Stainless
Joined
Nov 29, 2003
Location
Vashon Island, WA
I sold a large lot of used tooling to a business in Mexico and shipped in multiple boxes via UPS Standard. Approximately 50 items, priced and sold as a bulk lot. My mistake.

The shipment is being held by Mexico customs because I did not provide a detailed invoice specifying the manufacturer name and country of original for each item. Figure it's a dozen different manufacturers, mostly Japan. Some of them aren't even identifiable. It's all used, priced at 10 cents on the dollar or less, just so much junk I was happy to get rid of.

I've made my best effort at describing the contents as such, but it's apparently not satisfactory to customs, who says via UPS that if I don't provide a list identifying each item in the box including manufacturer, country of origin and value, the shipment will be returned at my expense, which for the round trip is about $700.

Any words of wisdom for what to tell them to get it released would be appreciated.

thanks.
 
You need a customs broker that is familiar with filling out the paper work. Not hard but it has to be exactly correct. Close is not good enough.
 
I used to be in mexico a lot.
Did stuff there..

Please try to understand the idea of my message.

The guy at customs, has been tasked by his boss to get a list, for sh*it he does not know about, does not care about.
And You/he/they all know it has no drugs, thus no comissions, etc.
Find a way to generate a list.
At the end, weasel-words like "as sold/supplied by" .. "last minute substitutions for equivalent merchandise" etc..

Produce a list.
Be very polite.
Always point to others.

Like
"we received this from xxx" on behalf of "aaa" from "ccc" liquidators etc.
*Always* be truthful technically.
"we received this from ebay on behalf of honest "joe tools ebay id", copy included, as part of a,b,c via fedex awb nr nnn, copy included, etc.

They want some, any, records, of something related.
Details, value, relevance, has near-zero importance.
They need to be able to tick a box - docs received, list received.
They have negative interest in analysing the docs, lists, tools, whatever.

Never ever underestimate values of stuff to customs. Ever.
 








 
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