Hassle with custom? Use International Express Mail

JayGoliath

JayGoliath

Joined
Mar 27, 2010
Messages
4,989
Dear all,

Let me share a useful piece of experience before anyone new outside USA struck a bad luck with custom interrogation.
(The sharking is just 3 days away)

I waited for my ASTK to arrive after Auntie shipped it out on May 1st 2010 via the International Air mail i requested, which is just 10 bucks cheaper.
It turned out that the Malaysian Express Mail screwed up my address and i only realized that I've been "very patient" with them for more than a month!:mad:
The Salyan i bought in late March arrived less than 2 weeks later (on April 6th ) when i opted for International Express Mail and was given 3 choices;
Personal pick-up, agent or Post Malaysia Pick up.
The latter 2 will require extra charges but smooth transition....way easier than having to answer the torturing questions by Malaysian Custom for at least an hour:thumbdn:.

I got the custom number from Auntie and status shown that the ASTK had been sitting in Custom since May 11th and they didn't bother to inform me.
Mind you, now that i've pick up a khuk MYSELF before and they make sure your honesty is tested to the max.They want to know everything from purchase intentions to your profession and the need for oversea knife shopping.:confused:
Malaysia isn't the best place for knife imports and is basically a gray area when it comes to weapon/tool.(Only because i messed up the correct way)

Despite the fact i have it declared as Farm tool, i will still need to apply for a police permit just to convince them to release the ASTK, making sure i'm SOLELY responsible for any misplacement /abuse on the blade other than wood chopping.

To the friends worldwide, please use International Express Mail for the ease of tracking,custom declaration and sent to your doorstep and not getting confiscated.:thumbup:

Jay:(

Finger crossed next week, getting Mr Singh back.
 
Strange that they give you a hard time for a khukuri when Malaysia has always had a blade culture...
 
Jay (i'm not calling myself, did i?)

This is the soil where you can dig out 90% of the rusty Wilkinsons (MK-IV,good luck BTW) and indeed a country known for blades, the knife crime scenes on the rise as well.

Customs here don't recognize weapons or tools but they could suggest me to get a combat knife which would break half way through the chopping.

I wouldn't tell them what HI khuks can do. That would just amplify its "The Gurkhas are coming,AYO GORKHALI! " effect.

But the facial expression of the clerk looking at the sheer cold and thickness of the blade and blanked out could only be described from here:

Rambo II quotes: Rambo pointing at Co Bao's buddha's pendant:
What's this?
Co Bao- this brings me good luck....what bring you good luck?
Rambo gazed in and brought up his famous dagger....i guess this?

Co Bao's face was PRICELESS!:D
 
Malaysia's not what it used to be. :( I'm a huge Indo and Malay silat fan. Sadly, it's no longer the land of pendekars and running amok.

My guru lives in KL--might be out there later this year.
 
Mohd might correct me in this.
I wonder your guru is indeed him?

He's by far someone who has the breadth and depth of knowledge on Malay and Indo-China traditional weaponry (no pun intended, guys).

Pertaining to this post, he offered me a few pointers that spoke of experiences with custom before.

Are you in HK now Jay? How's the knife laws there?

As far as this is concern, i will continue to order from H.I.
 
Can't reveal who my guru is on here, but he is not Mohammed. I always enjoy talking about senjata though. I don't own any Malay keris, unfortunately, but I do have a Minangkabau keris and a Mandau from Kalimantan. :)

I am in HK right now. HK is actually quite lenient on most blades. Anything I order comes straight to my door unless I'm not home, in which case I just pick it up at the post office.
 
Hi JayGoliath,

Share the same experience with you in Vietnam.

Early October last year, I bought 2 knife blanks from NorthCoastKnives together with some handle materials. It was shipped via USPS. I was waiting for almost 03 months. Until 25th Dec, when I was about to raise a insurance claim with the help of the seller, the letter from the Post office came, inviting me to come to the Post office for settling the case. They accused me of buying weapon but I rejected consistently. After several rounds of coming to the Post office, I just could receive the handle materials, the 02 blades were confiscated. The package was released on 28th Jan 2010. It took them almost 4 months to solve such a case. So bad!

However, in Dec 2008, when I first knew about khukuris though KHHI, they shipped via TNT, it went smooth for 03 times. We declared the khukuris as butcher knife. There is a separate Customs team working at TNT warehouse, and they are easier than the Customs in the Post office. TNT Vietnam also helped persuade the Customs and delivered to my house. This link show how I persuade the Customs: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=649618&page=2

In Dec 2009, I ordered again from KHHI though TNT but the Customs became more conscious about the word "khukuri". An unlucky friend of mine shipped before me and his khukuri got confiscated. In that case, I had no choice to change my shipping address to my sister in Cambodia, then I had a friend working as a Police carry it back to Vietnam for me. Out of 4 pieces I shipped in that order, I just could get 3 pieces. I gave my Police friend 1 piece as the carrying cost.

One trick I learned (but havent tried) is to buy a kitchen knife, then attach the khukuri in the same package. In the declaration form, just declare only the kitchen knife. It would be easier for Customs to release the khukuris if there is no evidence in the declaration form. In worst case when those khukuris are related to a sin, then there would be no written evidence.

Wish you guys best luck with shipping!

Hung
 
Hung,

Thanks for the sharing!

When i claimed for the Salyan, i declared as camp tool and the custom kept debating on what tariff code to tax me; Kerambit? dagger?.... then they finally gave up..

But i must give credit to one of the custom there, who helped me to divert the mention of knife. He was an ex-police and right away he spotted mine as a khukuri or Gurkha's knife. Malaysia has enough history of Gurkhas during the Emergency Times.

I thought of the idea on shipping with a smaller knife. But on what base they would release if they insist on you declaring the bigger knife?

Just my thought.

Auntie just emailed to say ALL custom are tough to deal with.

Who are we to correct her?

:D
 
'Cause if they charge me the tax and issue the tax receipt, they officially let me import the knife. The tax receipt is also a visible evidence if I use it on human later, they are also in the same mess with me.
Click to expand...

Wow Hung!
You broke the code for me.Now i understand why they let me off the hook 2 months ago.

I might need to start explaining the Sword of Shiva and Cho as well.:)

Thanks!
 
JayGoliath said:
Wow Hung!
You broke the code for me.Now i understand why they let me off the hook 2 months ago.

I might need to start explaining the Sword of Shiva and Cho as well.:)

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Bringing up Hindu symbols in front of Malay Muslims might not be the best idea if you want them to release your next purchase. ;)
 
Jay,

It was a bad joke. It's a clash of Titans.
But simplicity is the key.
I really do just want to use it for jungle trekking.

thanks again.
 
Hi Jay .. IMHO import of knife is always a problem anywhere .. just because a knife is a knife .. isn't it? :D
JayGoliath said:
But i must give credit to one of the custom there, who helped me to divert the mention of knife. He was an ex-police and right away he spotted mine as a khukuri or Gurkha's knife. Malaysia has enough history of Gurkhas during the Emergency Times.
Click to expand...
Maybe I haven't tell you one small trick that might give you big help! Please speak BM (i.e. Bahasa Malaysia) when claiming your khukuri! The more fluent your BM the better! And in Penang it's better to use Penang slang! It bring you closer to their heart :) Address those customs people nicely with Encik for men, Puan for ladies and Cik for unmarried ladies. And please try to refer to Malays during the claiming session :D [e.g. "My neighbor Pakcik Ali (i.e. Uncle Ali) said this pisau (i.e. knife) khukuri is very good for kerja kebun (i.e. field work) and masuk hutan (i.e. camping)"].

I think the issue in Malaysia is the Act 357 CORROSIVE AND EXPLOSIVE SUBSTANCES AND OFFENSIVE WEAPONS ACT 1958. Below is the extracted section:

SECOND SCHEDULE
[Sections 2 and 12]
1. Any knife, sometimes known as a “flick knife”, which has a blade which opens automatically by hand pressure applied to a button, spring or other device in or attached to the handle of the knife.
2. Any knife, sometimes known as a “gravity knife”, which has a blade which is released from the handle or sheath thereof by the force of gravity or the application of centrifugal force and which, when released, is locked in place by means of a button, spring, lever or other device.
3. Any whip manufactured from bicycle or motor cycle chains, or from any similar kind of chainwork.
4. All kinds of knuckleduster.
5. Any blade or other instrument attached to or forming part of a bicycle pump, metal-pipe or stick, and concealed therein, which is capable of being used for cutting or stabbing.
6. Any knife-like instrument with three sharp edges and a sharp pointed tip, sometimes known as a “bearing-scraper”.
7. Any small axe normally used as a weapon and commonly known as “kapak kecil”.
8. Any sword, kris, parang or other knife which on any part of it is written, embossed, inscribed with or which otherwise bears any verse, word or character connected with or relating to any religion or belief.
9. Any sword or parang which is normally meant to be used as a weapon and not as an agricultural implement or household or garden tool.
10. Any spear or spearhead.
11. Any cross bow.
12. Any Patrolite, Stun Gun, Taser, Control Club or any such similar instrument, device or equipment operated by battery or electricity or any form of power.
Click to expand...
IMHO, it's quite a problem for a Customs people to identify a clear border line in between a tool and a weapon! Which is which? :rolleyes:

Ooop .. have to go now! We'll continue this discussion later, Jay!

mohd.
 
Wow, so no keris with verses from the Qu'ran?

Speaking the local language definitely helps. On my last trip back from the Philippines, I had three liters of rum and vodka--the limit is one. I declared the alcohol in the red channel and spoke to the Customs guys in Cantonese and they loved it and were very friendly! They charged me the lowest possible rate for the rum (about 1/3rd of what I was prepared to pay) and then told me to have fun and bring more rum in next time. :)
 
I always use international express mail. Have received around 10 packages without a trouble.
 
Oromoto,

That was amazing!
Too bad, the custom smell it from far away.

Pak,

Memang dah guna slang penang, depa buat kacau lagi.
Tapi nasihat pak tetap jadi pengajaran saya.:)

Dear Mods, translation:

Used the Penang slang, but they are still making the fuss.
But the advice of Uncle Mohd will remained a lesson for me.:)
 
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