Aduanas is charging me 110% tax on a gift i received via UPS

JessicaRabbit

New member
Sep 21, 2009
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Long story short, i got the package with declared value of 22 000 rubles (russian currency) which is equals to 24000 pesos or 549$US, it is a military binoculars with night vision (gift from russian military guy to my husband), so it is being held by customs in Santiago and they charge me 28000 pesos of impuestos, here comes the question - WTF?! How the hell i have to pay more than the cost of the item of taxes? Can anybody enlighten me of what to do? Tried to reach aduanas by phone but after they redirect me to an agent nobody is on that line. Tried to figure out how to send it back with no success. Here they say guy in russia has to do something, and guy in russia says ups told him i have to do something. So its like a damned circle.
Please somebody let me know who can help me to figure it all out, i cant pay 600$ of taxes its just ridiculous.
 

the gorgon

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Sep 16, 2010
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Long story short, i got the package with declared value of 22 000 rubles (russian currency) which is equals to 24000 pesos or 549$US, it is a military binoculars with night vision (gift from russian military guy to my husband), so it is being held by customs in Santiago and they charge me 28000 pesos of impuestos, here comes the question - WTF?! How the hell i have to pay more than the cost of the item of taxes? Can anybody enlighten me of what to do? Tried to reach aduanas by phone but after they redirect me to an agent nobody is on that line. Tried to figure out how to send it back with no success. Here they say guy in russia has to do something, and guy in russia says ups told him i have to do something. So its like a damned circle.
Please somebody let me know who can help me to figure it all out, i cant pay 600$ of taxes its just ridiculous.

well then, some dick in customs will own it, and it is all gravy from there. all he has to do is to figure out what it is, and how much he can sell it for.
 

Mauricio

Gold
Nov 18, 2002
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Well, if you thought of sending it back you might as well just leave it there. But if I were you I'd call the customs office in Santo Domingo, they should be better prepared to help you out.
 

waytogo

Moderator - North Coast Forum
Apr 3, 2009
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Santiago DR
It sounds like someone in Aduanas has their eyes set on your binoculars.........
Hoping you just get fed-up and tell them to keep it..........
 
Aug 21, 2007
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I have been there, done that.... several years ago.....with a pair of prescription eye glasses worth $700, which were repaired and sent to me. I was being charged $500 in duties. I tried to send them back and was told that in order to do that, I had to pay aduanas. I let it slid for e a couple of months until I got a message that they would be auctioned as unclaimed goods. At that point, I bellied up to the bar and decided that I learned an expensive lesson.

A mistake like that is only made once. Now, I am much smarter about how to go about doing these things.

Hope your issue works out.

~ Lindsey
 

Mauricio

Gold
Nov 18, 2002
5,607
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Well, it's a good idea in future cases if someone wants to send a gift to have it sent to an courier in Miami and have them deal with customs. They know their way with custom agents and often you don't pay duties even if they are due, only a small custom handling fee (to the courier).
 

waytogo

Moderator - North Coast Forum
Apr 3, 2009
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Santiago DR
my thoughts, exactly. then the prick will sell it for 1000 pesos.

No, not quite, it is probably already in the home of an Aduanas employee..........
And if JR went to pick it up and pay the duties, she would probably be told that it has been misplaced,
and please return in a couple of days while we track it down. THEY ARE A BUNCH OF THIEVES............
In 9 years, I have never, and will never, ship anything over 200.
 

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
33,997
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Not really.............. actually, it sounds like someone in Aduana knows the proper value of Military grade night vision binoculars, and he/she is rightfully applying the true value to calculate the import tax.

.

yeah..right. the schmuck is probably still trying to figure out whether to stew it or roast it.
 

mountainannie

Platinum
Dec 11, 2003
16,350
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elizabetheames.blogspot.com
Vimenpaq told me that the tax on imports is 38% by law.. see thread http://dr1.com/forums/legal/138603-internet-tax-50-a-8.html

Now, after shopping all day on the internet, calling all the guitar stores in SD, listening to seemingly endless videos on YouTube, I have ordered a $300 Luna guitar instead of the $1000 Taylor that I wanted. Since, most likely, the Luna will come to $1000 by the time I get through with customs and shipping charges.

But, after waiting for years to get ANY guitar, I just can't wait any longer. They did have some expensive Yamahas here but I just do not like the sound of them.

Anyway, I feel your pain but the Tax really needs to be no more than 38% . And the couriers do NOT deal with them, at least Vimenpaq does not.. they just send you over to customs to pay the fee.

If I were you, I would go to UPS and talk to someone in person. See if you cannot get the fee reduced to the 38% level.
 

irishpaddy

Bronze
Sep 3, 2013
1,166
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38% of the value of the binoculars ...could be $600............does anyone know how much a set of night vision binoluars cost...even used?
I bet it aint $49