To answer your question David, I am still waiting for the 'treatment' to be completed and the parcel returned back to the Mail Centre.
My package (of 6 lbs) was shipped from the US on 28 December, so it has been in the system now for just over four weeks.
By the way of general information, the heat treatment is carried out for the Customs Department by an independent contractor (called 'QTC'). They merely treat it and then send it back to the Mail Centre.
Don - the cost of treating one pound is exactly the same as treating any quantity, up to at least sixty pounds - $45.
- I also find it interesting to hear you say that you have someone placing two separate orders of ten pounds every month. I wonder if that person 'knows' something more than we do about how the system works.
Perhaps anything above ten pounds draws attention. Otherwise, why would he not simply order one package of twenty pounds per month?
I really do feel that this is where David ran into trouble - his 15 pounds exceeded a threshold. Even if there was no Duty liable, GST (sales tax, at 15%) would be automatically payable on that amount. On amounts up to 10lbs it's not.
As I've already said, this is my first order so my experience is somewhat limited. However, I am reasonably confident that I will receive the tested package eventually.
I say this because an acquaintance of mine (and member of this forum) had to pay for the same testing procedure with his first order last year and eventually received the delivery (at no extra cost) six weeks after it left the States. His second order, made fairly recently, sailed through without any interruption.
I mentioned previously, three other friends of mine (who placed their orders well after I did) recently had their orders delivered lightning-quick, without any costs or holdup.
It's pretty obvious that the Mail Centre (or Customs, or whatever) is opening some (and definitely not all) of the packages.
As long as we eventually receive the packages, without having to pay a huge amount of tax, I don't think anyone's going to complain. (On 'manufactured tobacco' products the duty is well over $1000 per kg).
What I'm struggling with understanding is just what happened in your case. I guess we're all trying to figure out just how your order was different from the hundreds of others that apparently get through unscathed.
Another thing I'd really like to know is -
1. Who told them to send it back, and 2. just who paid the return freight on your returned package?
No-one wants to return a package, of course, even if it costs nothing to do so - the freight to NZ costs more than the tobacco so you're always going to get less than half of your money back on a returned item.
Finally, I'd like to say Don that I'm most impressed with your operation. If there any hiccups at all they are due to the red tape here in NZ.