Customs in Trinidad really STUPID!

[Ben_spanna]

How can you base duty charges on an item using ONLY list prices you find online?
What happens when people get sales or buy items USED, these f'king moronic officers only want to look up prices on their phones and want to use those as the prices.
When you have an item shipped WITH AN INVOICE that has a value,, you cant charge people based on what you find realtime on your browser.

f'king idiots !

[Rovin]

cause trinis does run racket by making false invoice , putting used \ refurb stickers , declaring as a gift etc so cant blame d customs officers too much ...

[zoom rader]

How can you base duty charges on an item using ONLY list prices you find online?
What happens when people get sales or buy items USED, these f'king moronic officers only want to look up prices on their phones and want to use those as the prices.
When you have an item shipped WITH AN INVOICE that has a value,, you cant charge people based on what you find realtime on your browser.

f'king idiots !

White a letter to the comptroller of customs also CC that to the Minster in charged, the prime minister, leader of the opposition and your MP showing your disgust . Make sure and note to the comptroller of customs that you have forwarded your letter to those above. Provide any evidence har you have

It my sound as wasting your time but you will get a response.

I have done this a few times when dealing with government bussiness and I have gotten results.

[ruffneck_12]

cause trinis does run racket by making false invoice , putting used \ refurb stickers , declaring as a gift etc so cant blame d customs officers too much ...

Fighting corruption with corruption only leads to more corruption

[ADONI]

Buys PS4 and a hdmi cable, declare it as a hdmi cable only for US$10

[paid_influencer]

cause trinis does run racket by making false invoice , putting used \ refurb stickers , declaring as a gift etc so cant blame d customs officers too much ...

Fighting corruption with corruption only leads to more corruption

so how do you propose customs handle suspect valuations?

[skylinechild]

cause trinis does run racket by making false invoice , putting used \ refurb stickers , declaring as a gift etc so cant blame d customs officers too much ...

Fighting corruption with corruption only leads to more corruption

so how do you propose customs handle suspect valuations?

what they are supposed to do is tax the goods based on their type and condition.

if condition cannot be ascertained due to refurbishment or mislabeling of goods - ie new labelled as refurbished

customs has the right to hold goods till the proper documentation can be produced for said item proving the item is refurbished and not new.

if said documentation cannot be provided then the item should be taxed at market value. which is to be determined by said officer.

[francis1979]

Don’t think you understand what the person is saying

When u buy a product in the USA it is typically priced as :
1) MSRP - manufacturer suggested retail price
2) discounted price

With the selling price being equivalent to the discounted price as a marketing strategy in most cases.
The selling price is only equivalent to MSRP in high end stores / products. E.g. Apple

What customs does is that they use MSRP ( before discounted price) to calculated import taxes as per your invoice.
Which is not the price you pay for the product thereby paying higher prices for your product.

This is a totally different issue from under invoicing. In that case your item will be referred to valuations if required.

[sMASH]

is a double edged sword. some people come out good, some times u dont...

sometimes multiple units of the same item got shipped separately and had totally different customs fees...

the system is,,, 'ah man' hadda say, 'see this here, we putting this amount of tax on it'
the calculations are worked out by the squirrels running around in his brain compounded by the mood that he is in and if he eat lunch yet.

[Gladiator]

is a double edged sword. some people come out good, some times u dont...

sometimes multiple units of the same item got shipped separately and had totally different customs fees...

the system is,,, 'ah man' hadda say, 'see this here, we putting this amount of tax on it'
the calculations are worked out by the squirrels running around in his brain compounded by the mood that he is in and if he eat lunch yet.

LOL same goes for politicians I guess.....

[paid_influencer]

Don’t think you understand what the person is saying

When u buy a product in the USA it is typically priced as :
1) MSRP - manufacturer suggested retail price
2) discounted price

With the selling price being equivalent to the discounted price as a marketing strategy in most cases.
The selling price is only equivalent to MSRP in high end stores / products. E.g. Apple

What customs does is that they use MSRP ( before discounted price) to calculated import taxes as per your invoice.
Which is not the price you pay for the product thereby paying higher prices for your product.
.

never seen this happen.

[src1983]

How can you base duty charges on an item using ONLY list prices you find online?
What happens when people get sales or buy items USED, these f'king moronic officers only want to look up prices on their phones and want to use those as the prices.
When you have an item shipped WITH AN INVOICE that has a value,, you cant charge people based on what you find realtime on your browser.

f'king idiots !

Many Trinis, use pdf and edit invoices. Going on years now adding lines like

Used, discount etc

That being said, there are still custom offices clearing items for their friends with little of no vat/duty paid

[Redress10]

So if I want a clear a container of clothing for sale? How they gonna value that? I getting items for 1usd etc

[ruffneck_12]

cause trinis does run racket by making false invoice , putting used \ refurb stickers , declaring as a gift etc so cant blame d customs officers too much ...

Fighting corruption with corruption only leads to more corruption

so how do you propose customs handle suspect valuations?

System hadda change first. Some protocol to cut out the customer interfering with the invoice. So it goes direct from source to destination.

No trickidadians involved.

[j.o.e]

cause trinis does run racket by making false invoice , putting used \ refurb stickers , declaring as a gift etc so cant blame d customs officers too much ...

This pretty much

[pete]

So if I want a clear a container of clothing for sale? How they gonna value that? I getting items for 1usd etc

It's up to the officer. More than likely the clothes would be in boxes inside so they may randomly selected one, a few or make you bring out all to inspect. See if the clothes match the description on the invoice or packing list and if looking suspicious assign a value they see fit to the clothing.

If you dispute the value you may have to get the supplier to go to a notary public in the country of origin to certify the value and send that documentation for you to clear it.

[zoom rader]

cause trinis does run racket by making false invoice , putting used \ refurb stickers , declaring as a gift etc so cant blame d customs officers too much ...

This pretty much

Yep but the 1% breeze through customs

[matr1x]

Defending custom officers is like defending drug pushers. They are small men who are told which containers NOT to check.

But the worse corruption is in customs

[Premchand1976]

Is it true that customs adds the cost of shipping and insurance to your total and charge you duties on that too ? If so, what sense that makes ?

[zoom rader]

Is it true that customs adds the cost of shipping and insurance to your total and charge you duties on that too ? If so, what sense that makes ?

Yes they have to by law.

You paid both duty and vat on your Landed cost

[Premchand1976]

But does it make sense ???? You pay duties and vat on a physical item.......shipping and insurance isn't ........unless sea water and ship steel we using to pin it to......lol

[zoom rader]

But does it make sense ???? You pay duties and vat on a physical item.......shipping and insurance isn't ........unless sea water and ship steel we using to pin it to......lol

It's done in other countries

[Chimera]

So if I want a clear a container of clothing for sale? How they gonna value that? I getting items for 1usd etc

It's up to the officer. More than likely the clothes would be in boxes inside so they may randomly selected one, a few or make you bring out all to inspect. See if the clothes match the description on the invoice or packing list and if looking suspicious assign a value they see fit to the clothing.

If you dispute the value you may have to get the supplier to go to a notary public in the country of origin to certify the value and send that documentation for you to clear it.

if you GENUINELY paid a certain discounted price for an item,its easy to prove it

locally they will ask for credit card statement stamped by the bank or sometimes even a screenshot of a paypal payment will work (but people does edit that in paint....and they realize this now...so they does want a stamped credit card statement)

or you can show them copies of the wire transfer at a certain date, screenshots of email communication etc....

if you genuinely paid a discounted price and the head ache is worth it for the extra money they charge you......then you can go to customs head office and deal with it


i had get some items seized a few years back....in customs in piarco they hold the shipment and wanted to value it at 200k or 500k or some sheit so while the value was like 15 or 20k

threaten me with $250,000 fine and lock up and false declaration bla bla bla

in front of me they gone on a US website that valued the items at $500 to $1500 USD each...then wanted to base the value at that


i pull out my phone to show them the emails where i paid what i paid....they threaten me..no cellphones allowed in customs...thats a charge (the customs officers in the airport and PAS cargo is the most hoggish people in the world)

had to end up going down POS by customs head office and talk to whoever was in charge that day .

man tell me that those officers in the airport like to intimidate people and they not too bright and how not to worry
let me use a PC they had there in the office to show him the prices i does get the items for.
from their pc they print it out, he stamp each page and sign it and tell me go back the airport with that and show them


u hadda decide if the headache worth it

[matr1x]

When people complain about government service, this is what we are talking about

[Redress10]

Phone Surgeon

Is manufacturers prices I paying from China etc. So how they gonna go online and see an item that I getting in bulk for 1usd being sold for 25usd etc and try to charge me for that. They must be mad. What's the point of business then? I don't mind paying the right rates but any chupidness and I'll tell the person to let them keep it but knowing how low they are I know they'll give it to their families' to wear etc.

[wagonrunner]

never had a headache.
resupplied the invoice, (there are numbers on those that can be verified with the issuer).
in the few instances i experienced, it was the skybox company posing those values and charges.

one in particular years ago charged me duty on a US$75 value for an item i paid US$9 for. After a few back and forths, i told them it cheaper for me to absorb the loss of US$9, than pay their fees.
Charges were suddenly reworked tot he lower value and item delivered.

[Chimera]

Phone Surgeon

Is manufacturers prices I paying from China etc. So how they gonna go online and see an item that I getting in bulk for 1usd being sold for 25usd etc and try to charge me for that. They must be mad. What's the point of business then? I don't mind paying the right rates but any chupidness and I'll tell the person to let them keep it but knowing how low they are I know they'll give it to their families' to wear etc.

Them simply show then the bank transactions

[bassotronics]

had a package come in this week via a courier who offering free shipping for the month of january, i paid 33US for the item, and they charged me duty and taxes for 100US. They say they don't believe the item would drop so much....even when i have a valid invoice from amazon.

[maj. tom]

And you followed up and told them what they doing is illegal right? Unless you happy with that corruption.

Threatened to what zr said and issues like this won't happen. If invoice is provided they cannot make claims like that.

[zoom rader]

And you followed up and told them what they doing is illegal right? Unless you happy with that corruption.

Threatened to what zr said and issues like this won't happen. If invoice is provided they cannot make claims like that.

I had on going battles with various government services. I always write letters and emails and do get positive outcomes once you have evidence to support your claim. It does take some time .

All make sure that they know you forwarded your letters to others above them.