Help from UK people

[Chinwoo-er]

Here is my rotten situation

A friend is coming over here to the UK and he sent himself a package of marital arts "supplies". Everything from training weapons to uniforms.

Now it is held up at customs and liable to forefeit
Can anyone help us here ?
Is there anyway we can get them back ?



Edit: He is a CMA trainer and have dan level karate and TKD in Hong Kong

[Ben Gash]

Depends what he shipped weapons wise. It's usually a good idea to declare them. Ask them what their grounds are. The authorities often have a poor understanding of the letter of the law regarding martial arts weapons.

[Chinwoo-er]

ok, here is the list he told me about

karate gi + belt
Iaido uniform

1 Katana
1 Jian
1 Dao
3 section staff
2 emei pierces
2 Wing CHun butterfly knive
2 sai

All item are not sharpened

So can anyone advise what we should do ?

[scotty1]

-Speak to customs, ask them whats going to happen. Do they need proof that the guy is an instructor, etc. ask them where the law states that the weapons can be taken, seeing as they're quite obviously traditional weapons.

-Speak to citizens advice bureau.

Be polite though. Unlike the Police, whether you're guilty or not, Customs and Excise have the legal right to come round your house, enter without permission, take your house apart and quite literally leave you with a pile of bricks and no apology or compensation. Well, that's what someone told me anyway.

In all fairness though, in these times attempting to get a crate of matches, let alone any kind of bladed weapons through customs is going to be a bit of a battle. Maybe should have found out a little info before attempting it.

[Ludeviews]

Howdy All,

Just to let you know I've brought swords through customs before (recently), they didn't ask me any questions about it either?

Might be the quantity of weapons that you've sent across....maybe that's made them suspicious.

Is it held up at Customs or confiscated??

[Chinwoo-er]

from what I know, they are confiscated
and they told my friend they will be destroyed in a month

is there a possibility to get them to send them back ?

[scotty1]

Speak to customs.

Good luck whatever you do, but I wouldn't hold out much hope.

[UK MONK]

Did you tell them you were bring them in to the country because if u didnt it makes it look suspicious. My suggestion is phone them up and explain that you are a martial artist and if you dont give them back you will kung fu his @$$ :D

good luck

[yu shan]

Must have been something suspicious about the packaging or something. Customs just don`t do this.

[Chinwoo-er]

I talked to the customs. Nothing has changed

Another local friend of mine said they will ask their uncle ( a solicitor & martial artist ) and they will get back to me over the weekend.

My friend seems really distressed about the whole thing. Man, I have never seen him like this before. He is practically falling into depression. I wish there was something I could do to improve his feeling if not his situation.

But can anyone please clarify this for me ?
How can they deem something illegal when it is owned, used, bought and sold legally ? In addition, what happen to those that are ordered from E-bay or martialartsmart.com etc ? How come they are ok ? Seem rather strange to me

[ngokfei]

Just to let you know:

I've brought many a shipment back from HK and China to the states and it all has to be planned ahead of time.

Customs are really suspicious of quantity but mostly who the individual is. If you look suspicious then watchout.

Luckily I had a receipt and my business card with me back in 1999 because I just checked them in at the Airport. Boy what a scene when it went through the x-ray machine.

One reason is that the UK probably has very strick laws now so let this be a warning to others who might do this.

question was it shipped by mail or checked in at the airport?? IF it is shipped there are quite a few regulations to be followed.

In the end I'd recomment 2 things:

1. Find out if there is a fine and pay it.
2. Take the loss and just buy new stuff. It doesn't sound like the items are not replaceable. You can get that stuff in the UK.

later

eric