Daisy said:
:lick: Sorry to change the subject, just want to know.
I mailed my friend a package a month ago and he never received it. Is it normal for gifts to get stolen? It was a ball cap and candy, but I had to write what is was in the package for customs. How is it that I could make it less appealing to write what was in the package. Has anyone else had trouble like this?
Hi Daisy. I don't know where you are sending your stuff from but here is my experience. I sent many letters with photos from Canada to the DR and always sent it by registered mail (meaning someone on the other end at the address given needs to sign for it) for about $10 CDN. They always arrived within about 2 weeks' time and unopened (it was obvious they were just letters).
I only sent a gift once and it was by FedEx and it never made it past Santo Domingo (final destination - POP) because even though I had put exactly what was in the package, because it was a gift it was subject to duty once it arrived in the DR. There was a big complicated thing where they were going to get an agent in the DR to act on my behalf to have the package delivered and would then bill me for the duty applied (which could end up being an astronomical amount depending on what the DR gov't deems is appropriate). Soooo, I called FedEx and said bring the damn thing back to Canada and forget about delivering it all! When it arrived back in Canada, the package had been opened and riffled through, athough I must say that nothing was missing (a plus of using FedEx but it was a very costly lesson).
If you sent the stuff to your guy by mail... good luck. Most likely he will never get it and some immigration official is now enjoying it!
It's not a good idea to send gifts to the DR. The best way to get something to someone would be to bring it yourself on your next trip or send it with someone you know who will be visiting.
Hope this helps (and sorry that I don't have better news for you)?