Homeland Security Opened My Package!

Bastid said:
Since this is more to do with shipping than knives themselves and since some folks do not understand that political discussion has no place in the knife discussion forums ... off to GB&U.
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At least it's a well traveled thread.

In reply, I'm in Wisconsin, the package was not clearly marked as a knife and was not an international shipment. The sender, in fact, paid $5.60 to ship. Clearly the cheap rate.

I'm not conspiratorial by nature, but does this mean that either the sender or myself are a list?
 
Esav Benyamin said:
I am baffled that Homeland Security would set itself up as an "internal customs agency".
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I watched the recent series "Homeland Security USA", which was kinda like "Cops" where they just film ICE and Customs agents doing there jobs.

A lot of the show was filmed in one of the big facilities where they opened mail coming into the US, and they talked like that was under Homeland Security now.
 
Bear Claw Chris Lappe said:
I watched the recent series "Homeland Security USA", which was kinda like "Cops" where they just film ICE and Customs agents doing there jobs.

A lot of the show was filmed in one of the big facilities where they opened mail coming into the US, and they talked like that was under Homeland Security now.
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Well... both ICE and CBP are part of DHS
http://www.dhs.gov/xabout/structure/

The question is why are they inspecting packages that are in, what is essentially, domestic transit. Unless there's some kind of rule that allows that for territories and would be illegal for states.
 
I read about a guy who ordered a badger shaving brush from Germany, and it got diverted to some bureaucratic entity (Fish and Wildlife?) because it contained animal hair. They opened it, examined it, held it for a week or so, then sent it along with a bill for around $80 for their services. Just be glad Homeland Security didn't send you a bill.
 
Maybe shipping from a duty-free area to the mainland has something to do with it?
Maybe not? I don't remember having to clear through Customs coming back from Guam, but that was in 75, and a long time ago...
 
artmichalek said:
I think US Customs usually only inspects for tax violations.
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You're incorrect. U.S. Customs officials search packages/luggage/containers and interrogate people entering the USA for far more reasons than merely the collection of customs duties and "tax violations."
 
kimon said:
Exactly!

The question is: does customs regularly check shipments from US Territories such as Guam and Puerto Rico or is this new?
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It's about two years old. DHS examines offshore packages with dogs, chemical sniffers, etc., but they only do it to packages that that don't have post office applied postage verification or an aviation security rubber stamp (which can be applied by postal personnel). This left a lot of parcels (in fact more than could be handled) in the target category, so somebody decided that using a PS Form 2976 - Customs Declaration with a post office applied round stamp would be suitable to identify a parcel as not in the target category (because the PO guy round-stamped it with a date). So we have the nonsensical condition where offshore territories must misuse customs forms, under certain circumstances, to be in compliance with the DHS. Hold onto your hat because it is going to get way, way worse. Just wait until you hear about the identification requirements being imposed by the census bureau (EEL/PFC). You will be required to register every foreign parcel with the census bureau and, in an exquisite example of federal incompetance and the inability of a federal agency to understand, or even care what another agency may be doing, they have defined those parcels as everything that needs a customs form - failing to recognize the misuse of the form imposed by DHS, and requiring registry of domestic mail destined for offshore delivery.
 
kimon said:
The question is why are they inspecting packages that are in, what is essentially, domestic transit. Unless there's some kind of rule that allows that for territories and would be illegal for states.
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My thought would be that it's still entering the continental US from outside, so it's treated the same as any other package from outside.

I've had family that returned to the US on cruises to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, both of which are US territories, and every time they had to go through Customs in Miami and were searched when they returned.
 
Bear Claw Chris Lappe said:
My thought would be that it's still entering the continental US from outside, so it's treated the same as any other package from outside.

I've had family that returned to the US on cruises to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, both of which are US territories, and every time they had to go through Customs in Miami and were searched when they returned.
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And no stops elsewhere? Just PR and USVI?
 
Bob W said:
Amateurs. The Postal Service would have stolen it...
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mycroftt said:
That comment is beneath contempt.
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Bob W said:
I wouldn't of posted that if it didn't happen.
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No, "the Postal Service" does not steal anything - single individuals, who violate the trust the public has placed on them, steal things. "The Postal Service" represents nearly a million people - mostly honest people, veterans, disabled veterans, people who put their lives on the line (and some who lost them) for the good of the country during the anthrax attacks, hardworking folks. Condemning them all for the dishonest actions of a single individual is contemptible - it's on the same level as saying all Army vets are cowards and scumbags because Tim McVeigh blew up the federal building.

Now the individual who stole your property - he IS a scumbag and I hope he gets caught.
 
mycroftt said:
No, "the Postal Service" does not steal anything - single individuals, who violate the trust the public has placed on them, steal things. "The Postal Service" represents nearly a million people - mostly honest people, veterans, disabled veterans, people who put their lives on the line (and some who lost them) for the good of the country during the anthrax attacks, hardworking folks. Condemning them all for the dishonest actions of a single individual is contemptible - it's on the same level as saying all Army vets are cowards and scumbags because Tim McVeigh blew up the federal building.

Now the individual who stole your property - he IS a scumbag and I hope he gets caught.
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totally agree. Have nothing but good experience with the PO.
 
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