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Hi everyone does anyone know where is Don of WLT?

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Davidoff

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Hi everyone,

I did order tobacco from Don last year around October. But parcel has been kept by NZ customs. I have been told the parcel has been sent back to Don on 8th of December last year. I did try to contact Don this month. But he didn't reply to me. I just wanna know is he don't want to make refund to me?
 

SmokesAhoy

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From "Contact us" at www.wholeleaftobacco.com:
Call us at 330-630-2782 M-F Mid morning to early afternoon is best since most of the time we are either filling orders or shipping orders.

Edited to add: generally when you have an issue with anything the phone is your best friend in getting it resolved quickly and efficiently, message board posts to non employees less so. Try giving him a call before assuming the worst.
 

Orson Carte

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David - My experience with WLT is really only recent but I have to say that your experience seems quite unusual.
In recent weeks myself and two different friends (all here in NZ) ordered six pounds each of whole leaf tobacco, from Don. Mine was the first order made, and I'm still waiting to receive it from Quarantine inspection. A second friend, who made exactly the same order two weeks after me received his parcel twelve days, by courier at the door, twelve days later. The third friend received his today, and it took just nine days from the date he ordered it. Neither of these packages had been opened - and both had a Customs label saying it was cleared.
Back to myself, and the Quarantine; Around two weeks after it reached Auckland I received a letter telling me they were holding my package because it 'showed signs of disease'. (In reality I think this is just pure bs! However, I am compelled to play their game, which is -
1. I can pay ($45) for 'heat treatment' - following which, I presume it will be sent on to me by courier at no extra cost, or
2. I can return it to sender, at the cost of $85.62 (which is out of the question because I will have by then paid well over $300 and received nothing, or
3. I can have the parcel destroyed (at no cost)
Makes it a pretty simple choice, doesn't it?
It appears that they give you one month to decide and then, in the absence of any reply, simply carry out the third option. It seems pretty odd to me that they will have returned your parcel to it's sender.
My guess is that somehow or other they either didn't send you a letter, or they did, and it was somehow not delivered to you.
It is also becoming obvious that they only open some of the parcels and then impose the 'treat it or lose it' threat.
I's also be interested to know just how big your consignment was/is. Smallish amounts appear to slip through under radar, whereas I don't think large quantities would.
 

Orson Carte

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I wanted to edit my post, above, but can't get the panel to activate.
I also wanted to say - you should have a tracking number (supplied when your order was first confirmed) and you could use that to try and locate your package.
There is also another option; the outfit who does the 'testing' in Auckland has a phone number; QTC 2015 Limited, 09 275 5589.
Finally, I must say that in my experience Don and WLT do an excellent job with their products and related paperwork - orders are rapidly despatched and everything is made very clear and above-board on their Customs declaration. It would seem that if there are going to be any hiccups at all, it is because of Biosecurity here in NZ justifying their existence by carrying out the random inspection of packages.
 

Davidoff

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I have already pass the QTC for 45bucks then the custom said my parcel are unmanufactured tobacco and they charge for duties which is a sky high price damn it. And NZ customs told me if you wanna send it back to sender it's free. That's why I choice to send it back to Don. My order was 6kg. Maybe it was too much...
 

Davidoff

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In what age it is now? Who will gonna use the phone? Don always respond to me on time. But not this time..
 

Orson Carte

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That's a bit of a worry!
As I mentioned, above, two friends of mine, who ordered much later than me (mine was at the end of December) received their packages without any hold-up at all.
I paid the $45 around ten days ago but haven't heard anything from them. (I didn't want to stir them up too much by pestering them). I assumed that as soon as the testing has been done the package would just be delivered. I was not really expecting to be paying excise duty.
My order was 6 POUNDS. (Around 2.7kg). The total cost was around NZ $230. Was your order actually 6 kg and not 6 lbs? I'm interested to know because the weight might be the reason they are asking for duty.
 

Orson Carte

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David -
Just so that others of us in NZ might avoid being caught-out in the future I am trying to understand just why your order ran into trouble with Customs. I know of four different people who have ordered from WLT and none of them have had your experience.
In a comment, above, you said your package weighed 6 kilograms. Is that correct? (That is, it was 6 kgs, NOT 6 pounds). Was it that 'Threshed and Stripped' 11 lb bag? (Which is pretty close to 5kgs).
If it was, then the amount you paid (including freight) would be well over $450 and it would then be automatically liable for GST. (Sales tax). This might be what drew their close attention.
I hope you don't think I'm prying into your business. I'm only asking you in order to help all of us for the future, including yourself if you're brave enough to try the exercise again.
 

Davidoff

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Yup, I believe the amount will gonna be the problem that drew their attention will try to make small pack next time
 
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