Customs Issue

robinjoyyoung

Newbie
Oct 3, 2017
2
0
0
Hello all!

Looking for advice:

We purchased a pitching machine for the batting cage my husband is setting up in Sosua (for the kids!)

We paid Customs a 38% tax. The machine was in Santo Domingo. That was almost two weeks ago. Russ checks with BM Cargo every day, but they don't seem to be able to do anything. We're thinking we may never get it.

Is there a way to apply pressure on ??? to get the damn thing delivered? We still will need to pay BM about $200 to receive it, so you'd think they'd be motivated to get it, but we're a bit frustrated at this point. We can't open the batting cage without it, and there are tons of kids so excited about it.

Ideas?
 

Kipling333

Bronze
Jan 12, 2010
2,528
829
113
Yes an idea ,,you have to go to the customs area at las Americas in person ..It is most frustrating .Some years ago I purchased the boxed collection of all the James Bond movies , was happy to pay the small amount of tax but could not get the box released...they kept insisting I wanted to show the films in a cinema. So I went there and there are customs agents hanging around looking for a commission .They will get your cage out ok but will charge an arm and a leg . They do not speak english . It really does need the hands on approach sometimes .
 

TropicalPaul

Bronze
Sep 3, 2013
1,366
614
113
I would suggest you put a lot of pressure on the shipping company. I imported something using Fedex and they kept telling me it was stuck in customs. Eventually I got sick of waiting so I went to their office and demanded that whoever does their liaison with customs finds out what the problem was. And about 10 minutes later they walked in with my package, which had cleared customs in 3 days and had been sitting with them forever. The shipping companies have good relationships with customs, they have staff that just work with customs clearance, they are the best ones to kick to get your machine.

Please remember that Dominicans have this horrible habit of telling you anything, without checking it, just to get you off the phone. "Stuck in customs, don't know when it will be available, click" they probably just say that all day to get rid of people and allow more time for Whatsapping.
 

drSix

Silver
Oct 13, 2013
1,323
0
36
Please remember that Dominicans have this horrible habit of telling you anything, without checking it, just to get you off the phone. "Stuck in customs, don't know when it will be available, click" they probably just say that all day to get rid of people and allow more time for Whatsapping.

"veinte minutos"
 

botemon

Active member
Jun 28, 2008
223
31
28
I have had "issues" with "single items" usually expensive items. It is not uncommon for them to sit in Santo Domingo for a month before they issue the tax bill. With large shipments of multiple items......I never had an issue. Your mileage may vary!!
 

Mauricio

Gold
Nov 18, 2002
5,607
7
38
I would suggest you put a lot of pressure on the shipping company. I imported something using Fedex and they kept telling me it was stuck in customs. Eventually I got sick of waiting so I went to their office and demanded that whoever does their liaison with customs finds out what the problem was. And about 10 minutes later they walked in with my package, which had cleared customs in 3 days and had been sitting with them forever. The shipping companies have good relationships with customs, they have staff that just work with customs clearance, they are the best ones to kick to get your machine.

Please remember that Dominicans have this horrible habit of telling you anything, without checking it, just to get you off the phone. "Stuck in customs, don't know when it will be available, click" they probably just say that all day to get rid of people and allow more time for Whatsapping.



One of the best answer ever on dr1.....:D
 

TropicalPaul

Bronze
Sep 3, 2013
1,366
614
113
I had exactly the same experience this week. We had some samples delivered for the hotel, they were in two boxes. Fedex confirmed two boxes delivered to CPS in Miami. Only one arrived in Santo Domingo. Where is the second box? CPS firstly said it hadn't reached Miami. I showed them the proof that it had. Then they said Fedex had got it wrong. Fedex confirmed they hadn't. Then they said it was stuck in US customs. Finally I called our account manager. She shouted at someone in Miami and "oh what a shock" they found the missing package and it's on its way. Don't be fobbed off, that's the only way to survive in this country.
 

Abuela

Bronze
May 13, 2006
1,952
288
83
Most shippers have been told by aduanas to be sure to provide an invoice. Have you provided customs the invoice copy or pdf ? Your shipper can email this to them if you do not have their contact info. This has expedited delayed orders for us.
 

2dlight

Bronze
Jun 3, 2004
970
36
28
My sister sent me a 90lb. box from California using Fedex on Sept. 27th. and it was delivered to my door step this morning. Three other boxes sent on the 28th. are in Santo Domingo waiting to clear customs; they're supposed to be here today by 9 p.m. Just sharing my first experience with having something shipped from abroad.