Problems with Duch Customs

Which is why you need a Customs broker or attorney experienced with EU import regulations... otherwise your only choice is to wait and see what happens.

Any product with ivory of any type should have the proof (CITES) included with the shipment.
 
Kevin I don't want to get into an argument with you but did you read the complete thread? I always ship through FedEx or UPS. Dutch Customs is not communicating with me because they see FedEx as my representative in this matter. All papers are in order but they just won't tell me/FedEx what the problem is. In the past I even brought elephant ivory in to the country (of course with all the right papers). So stating that the problem is the ivory is really jumping the gun. Besides that I have a law degree so I'm more than capable to understand and interpret Dutch law in this matter.

Marcel
 
Yeah, I read the thread.

My question: If you have it all under control, why don't you have your knives? (This is retorical question, no need to answer it.)

If you're counting on FedEx to help you, forget about it.

Read my advice again. If it still yoesn't make any sense to you, don't take it.
 
Kevin, I truly appreciate your advice. :thumbup: The point I'm trying to come across is that until now(?) there was no need for a broker or otherwise. Dutch law is (was?) fairly simple and clear about the import of knives. With the proper paperwork you can import (almost) anything. I have had 50+ problemfree imports so far so there were no signals to assume that this shipment would be treated differently. Just last Tuesday an other knife came through problemfree ..... go figure.

And no I don't count on FedEx to help me...my problem is that because FedEx is the shipper our Customs sees them as their "counterpart" and not me. That gives me no opportunity to communicate directly with Customs (believe me I've tried and tried and tried:mad:). So you're right about that I have to wait and see what is going to happen. But that is caused, I think and I hope, by some fickle overeager civil servant and nothing more.

Marcel
 
Good luck mate!
I recently imported a knife with Mammoth ivory scales into Australia and according to the tracking info it cleared customs in 20 minutes!
Greg
 
Hi Mike......no news to communicate. I'm still incommunicado.:mad::mad:

As soon as I have news I will tell you'll.

Marcel
 
UPDATE

FedEx just delivered the knives today. There were some problems with the Fuegen dagger. Customs had disassembled the handle and just put it back
together crooked!!! Fortunately the knife has a take down construction so I was able to fix the problem. Furthermore there were a few rust spots on the blade. Probably from the fact that it stayed somewhere in a poor environment for this period of time. Luckily I was able to polish the spots out.

In the meantime I've been told by Customs that they will scrutinize every delivery to my address from now on. The main problems as I was told are the use of ivory and the fact that the blade was two edged (dagger). Both aspects aren't illegal by law but as one of the other posters mentioned this might be the beginning of a more stringent behavior of Dutch Customs. All in all this behavior of Dutch Customs was a very bad experience.:barf::mad:

This situation has forced me to make a rather radical decision. I've decided that from this moment on I won't buy and import knives from non EU based makers anymore until I'm convinced that the circumstances have changed.

I have a couple of orders that are already in the making. I'll have to decide what to do with the knife when it's completed in the upcoming month or so. Put it up for sale in the country of origin, take the risk of shipping it or something else ....... I don't know yet.


Marcel
 
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Good to hear you finally got your knives. :thumbup: I hope customs will not send you a huge bill with handling costs and other taxes afterworths.

Maybe you can let the other knives still in the making be send to the adress of a friend or relative, to have a chance they will not be checked as hard?
 
At least you got past this hurdle safely, Marcel.......
Try planning to take delivery yourself from the maker at knifeshows...
It works very well.

All the best,
David Darom (ddd)
 
Glad to hear you finally got them!
For the outstanding orders you might have, find someone in another EU country that could receive them and resend them to you... inside EU this time ;)
 
Marcel,
There are many fine persons, makers and collectors in the European knife community. I am sure that you can find someone in Germany or Italy or France that would accept your knives and reship them to you.

A. G.
 
BAttle won, but I suspect we may be losing the war!!!!!!:grumpy::grumpy::grumpy::grumpy::grumpy::grumpy::grumpy:

Stephen
 
Now is there any way to charge your customs agents for the devaluation of the knives? In other words- you are on their "bad" list so you have nothing to loose by inconveniencing them as they did to you. Can you get media involved in your situation as you are being watched for legal activities and thus IMO unjustly singled out. Over here the perceptions of the media can change things.
 
Over here (Left coast USA) the media not only can but HAS changed perceptions over entire watersheds. I've watched in disbelief the drip, drip, drip propaganda of big city media inculcate perfectly sane family members into registered left wingers rabid to abolish guns and knives.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I see of the EU media they are leading the world in veering left. I agree with others above who advise working around Dutch customs, and I underscore doing it like a mole tunneling in soft dirt. IMHO going public may foment triune risks, not only to import knives but to Marcel's existing collection as well--an irate/vindictive state, opportunistic thieves, and possibly the public itself, viewing Marcel a public menace with all those weapons of mass destruction.

ken
 
Will customs or other authorities ever realize that knives are a freaking tool or either art?? I seriously don't think they would take up a shovel, after all, it could be more dangerous then a knife. So why take up a knife??

I also dont think they would take up a artist's painting. So why take up a art dagger? Best of luck to you, and if given a chance, try to talk atleast some sense into them.


Edit: Atleast you got one back. And why is stone handles illegal in your area?

I can understand ivory, but stone being illegal isn't logical to me.
 
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the laws in the Netherlands are plain stupid and hypocrite.
most killings with knives are done with cheap kitchen knives worth 5€ .
and by those balisonknives perhap on schools.cheap stuff.forbid that and they will cut eachother up with a potatoknife.

the state/government(of the Netherlands) sells more weapons to other countries than many bigger countries(like Italy) around us here in the Netherlands.you are allowed(they really look for people)to be a soldier in the army walking around with a big gun,but a knife is seen as something very dangerous and possibly violent.many dutch people think like that ,is my experience.

Hirsch Ballin is from the CDA Christian Party,along with CU which is also a Christian party.

Hirsch Ballin wanted to abolish the word 'foreigner'because of the problems that we have with foreigners(read maroccons,turkish ,and people from the antilles) in the Netherlands.
these politicians have no knowledge about knives at all.they all see them as dangerous and not wanted.
the problem is that these numbnuts do have the power to make laws about these things.
there is also a woman in the political party PVDA who stated that knives shouldn't be sold anymore at dumpstores.
it's all because of those foreign kids who stab eachother now an then(but thy don't name the problem because then they would be racist.).
but weren't these same politicians the ones who were responsible for that big wave of immigration which caused these knifefighting problems?they only cared about the economy.
cheap workers they wanted.
with cheap behaviour.
the state makes more and more laws taking your freedom away.
(I've been walking around with a pocket knife since I was like 5 or 6 years old,nowadays they consider every blade as big as my little pinkie finger as dangerous looking.no joke,I see the reactions around me.)
 
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