Customs has my package......now what?

LOL!

if you know your package is stuck in customs you are ahead of the game. it should be along one day. hope the store did the proper declaratory things, and that the package is insured. it appears they paid for a level of service where there is tracking. like i said, ahead of the game. at least you know it still exists on this plane.

i guess the thing to have asked is what's a reasonable time frame, because i have had packages float around in there for weeks. they eventually got to me though (stateside to here). more expensive things, i can see why you would be nervous about it.

that store should consider a courier service instead of the postal service perhaps. or is this through a courier service?

My brother mailed me a broken computer when I was living in Florida. He put it in an IBM computer box the new one came in. I was going to have it fixed and alas, have my first computer. I got a letter from Customs informing me that I will not get my counterfeit computer that was shipped to me. I answered them with a two paged letter explaining it all. I consequently received a letter telling me it was destroyed because it was counterfeit. Couldn't they look at, which they had to, and see it wasn't close to being IBM and just happened to be in an IBM box? They didn't even wait to get my response, or, yes, maybe someone took it for themselves.

My brother mailed me a broken computer when I was living in Florida. He put it in an IBM computer box the new one came in. I was going to have it fixed and alas, have my first computer. I got a letter from Customs informing me that I will not get my counterfeit computer that was shipped to me. I answered them with a two paged letter explaining it all. I consequently received a letter telling me it was destroyed because it was counterfeit. Couldn't they look at, which they had to, and see it wasn't close to being IBM and just happened to be in an IBM box? They didn't even wait to get my response, or, yes, maybe someone took it for themselves.

"counterfeit computer?"

wow...

"Don't worry, I'm from the government, and I'm here to help!" (the scariest thing you'll ever hear.)

why is customs even involved when it's stateside to VI?

sounds like it's customs in puerto rico thats got it, not here in the VI. i think all the US mail goes through puerto rico.

USVI is outside the "customs territory" of the united states (which is why you have to go through customs at the airport to fly out), so anything coming in or out of the USVI to or from the US is considered foreign by customs law and therefore subject to inbound/outbound inspection.

Hope it's insured.
Can the store that mailed it call Customs to see what the hold-up is?
I assume you paid by credit card for your order?

sounds like it's customs in puerto rico thats got it, not here in the VI. i think all the US mail goes through puerto rico.

Mail (USPS) has to go through PR because of the airline carriers they use... Customs in PR have nothing to do with customs in the VI... A package has to reach its destination and then the customs at that destination handles it... PR customs has no jurisdiction in the VIs and vice versa...

The only way the package is stopped by another jurisdiction is if it is something clearly illegal...

You should contact the shop. They should be able to help you with this. I have a jewelry store and we occasionally have packages stopped. We usually get a call or the client gets a call and get the package released after answering a few questions. If a package is stateside bound, fees will apply accordingly and the client will pay them when the package is delivered. (roughly 6%) The business that sent you the package may have a contact number for a person in customs who they frequently deal with.

sounds like it's customs in puerto rico thats got it, not here in the VI. i think all the US mail goes through puerto rico.

Mail (USPS) has to go through PR because of the airline carriers they use... Customs in PR have nothing to do with customs in the VI... A package has to reach its destination and then the customs at that destination handles it... PR customs has no jurisdiction in the VIs and vice versa...

The only way the package is stopped by another jurisdiction is if it is something clearly illegal...

again, the USVI is outside the "customs territory" of the US. Puerto Rico IS part of the "customs territory", therefore since all mail goes through PR to the states, PR is the first entry point into the "customs territory" and is therefore subject to inspection. Since the USVI is outside the "customs territory", by US customs law everything entering the US "customs territory" from the VI is considered foreign and is subject to inspection.

Also, local public law 64 and 19 CFR 145.2 gives customs authority to check all incoming goods from the US to the VI. This can be done in the VI or PR (since it's the last "exit" point of the "customs territory" and can be checked outbound.)

Never use UPS. USPS is the way to go.