Importing and ukara issues

[Sam h]

I’m having a problem and wondered if others had experienced this recently with the ukara database not being as functional as it should be recently. 

I ordered 4 ghk ak mags from redwolf and I have had issues with customs for over a week. First I needed to fill out a firearms declaration form, which I thought was fair enough. Then customs charges for importing, again fair enough. Then I was asked to provide details of what exactly the item was as apparently airsoft accessories was too vague. A week later and now they want proof of my ukara membership number. 

I was given nothing more more than a number when I qualified for ukara membership, so what counts as proof? I’m hoping that my number, the original email and an image of my photo ID with my address on it will suffice. I wasn’t even aware that I needed to provide a ukara number for magazines. 

Has anyone else had issues importing lately or is it just my bad luck?

or maybe UPS have misplaced my package and are stalling?

 

[L3wisD]

Your best bet, if they want proof, is to give them the contact details of the site where your UKARA number was registered.

They can then vouch for you, and hopefully it'll get released.

It's a bit off to hold up magazines for a UKARA check though, isn't it?

 

[warlord]

I went through exactly the same BS with the mags I ordered  I'm sure it's just down the the UPS courier service used. They see the word "airsoft toys" on the shipping manifest and trigger ukara without understanding the difference between it and vcra. UPS don't do anything other than insist on the ukara bit before they even pass it onto UK customs.

 

[Tommikka]

You don't need the airsoft defence for magazines, but for anything from a possible airsoft company in Asia the question will be raised.

Provide the UKARA number and your local sites details which will enable it to be confirmed, but they still may not have looked at the package and only have the vague customs declaration so are asking you the questions

 

[springs]

it's got to be the way Redwolf are importing the items into the UK via their courier. they must not be declaring it correctly so it just gets flagged up and customs.

 

[MILITATED]

Yeah must be Redwolf.

I've ordered some of the new GHK pmags and they're set to arrive today. Customs did hold them and charge me but didn't ask for a defence. Just my luck, no one else who ordered the pmags got held up with customs or charged...

 

[MILITATED]

Okay I just happened to order mags from Redwolf and got a call from UPS saying I need to sign a realistic imitation firearm declaration. Conveniently, their servers are down and nothing can be done at the moment. Just thought I'd update.

 

[Tommikka]

Okay I just happened to order mags from Redwolf and got a call from UPS saying I need to sign a realistic imitation firearm declaration. Conveniently, their servers are down and nothing can be done at the moment. Just thought I'd update.

Click to shrink...

The package has flagged up from the declaration and won’t have been opened 

You don’t need your UKARA defence etc, but it won’t harm to fill it in on the form

The part of the declaration you need is “Is not a RIF”

 

[Rogerborg]

How can the recipient make a truthful declaration about what's factually in a package that they didn't prepare?  They can only state what they ordered, which is not necessarily the same as what's in there.

In addition, UPS' contract is with the sender, not the recipient.  They should be asking them to make any necessary declaration.

I know, that's not how it works, but it's darn well how it should work if you apply the least bit of critical thinking to the process.

Idiotic bureaucracy triggers me something awful. :angry:

 

[Tommikka]

How can the recipient make a truthful declaration about what's factually in a package that they didn't prepare?  They can only state what they ordered, which is not necessarily the same as what's in there.

In addition, UPS' contract is with the sender, not the recipient.  They should be asking them to make any necessary declaration.

I know, that's not how it works, but it's darn well how it should work if you apply the least bit of critical thinking to the process.

Idiotic bureaucracy triggers me something awful. :angry:

Click to shrink...

The customs declaration is made by the sender, on the basis of that HMRC (most often in reality the approved carriers staff on arrival) initially go by the declaration stuck on the outside and decide if :

they want to actually look inside

they should be charging duty

there is something particular about the contents

RIF declarations are pretty much a default for packages from Hong Kong airsoft companies 

The RIF declaration is a requirement in the UK, customs charges etc also vary by country.

Importers are held liable for what they import.  It may be that the sender has sent the wrong thing, if for example you say it’s not a RIF but the sender has mixed up then that becomes a different situation:

1) Airsoft package tunrs up at UPS customs depot

2) Declararation form sent

3) No - it’s magazines

4) UPS say bollocks, the shape is an ak47

5) UPS open it

6) UPS find a gutted airsoft AK47 stuffed full of heroin because the Triad apprentice got the packages mixed up

7) Buyer gets doors kicked in

8) Buyer goes down or manages to prove innocence 

Ultimately the importing buyer doesn’t really know what the warehouse put in the package, but they do know what they ordered

The sender can do the import duty in advanced etc as well, so if they offer the service and the buyer pays the extra price then it can fly through as long as everything matches up

 

[MILITATED]

Just to update:
I called the next day and they sent me the RIF form via email. Now, as this form is mainly designed for RIFs (as the name suggests), you need to clearly state that the items in the package (If you are ordering magazines) are NOT RIFs/IFs and do NOT have a firing mechanism. This will avoid any follow up issues with them asking for your UKARA and delaying delivery further. Once completed, I just simply returned the form to the person who sent it to me. A couple hours later, I got an email saying that I had fees to pay (£31 tax and £11 handling). Paid that instantly via PayPal and then the tracking updated a couple hours later saying that it'd be delivered the next day, which it was. Hope this helps anyone who orders or wants to order mags from Redwolf!

 

[Eenthuncob]

Sounds like a right pain, but glad you got it sorted.

Hopefully my order of a few pouches and pistol mags doesn’t go through with the same problem.

 

[Rogerborg]

Wow, what a ball-point-pen ache.  Good to hear that it's sorted, but it's something to factor in.

 

[reedy308]

I recently ordered a G&P m249 mag from hong kong and my ukara is out of date (me being lazy and not having renewed it yet) but after talking to a ups manager and explaining that the magazine is an airsoft part and that it is not required for a magazine to be two-tone and filling out a firearms form they got it to me the next day. hope this helps 

 

[proffrink]

UPS likely won't check your UKARA - that's Border Force's job (who're in charge of it before it gets valued to customs and then handed back to UPS).

 

[EvilMonkee]

The issue here is not Redwolf but UPS not knowing their arses from their elbows.

I had exactly the same issue with 2 Sterling mags I imported from the USA.  Email saying I had to fill in a RIF declaration form to give my UKARA number.  Cue phone call to idiot in call centre trying to explain that their process is bollocks, but more importantly that my UKARA number WAS ON THE f*cking ADDRESS....

Its my SOP when importing to put my UKARA as part of my address block.  I hate UPS with a passion, only company i have ever had issues with.

 

[Tommikka]

Border Force represents HMRC for imports, and they have staff in carrier import/export depots/hubs.

They are the authority for checking prohibited/restricted goods, and deciding on if duty/import vat are due based on the declaration or any opening to investigate.

Howver they may or may not touch a package and the courier staff could just as well be looking at the declarations 

Most of the time for RIF declarations no one has paid any attention to the contents of the package, only the declaration and sender details.  Even if it does just say airsoft magazines it’s likely that it will be set aside and the addressee gets notified and asked for a declaration.

I have had many international packages over the years, only made one RIF declararation (it was from Hong Kong) and only had one or two packages opened (from the US)

UPS are doing their job by requesting a declaration, it may or may not be obvious that it’s not a RIF but it’s within their licence to operate on the border to raise these things.  It’s a bit of paperwork and a delay to the recipient or having HMRC/Border Force staff opening more packages with more delay to everyone and extra costs to taxpayers

They are more interested in the proper smuggling  

 

[Rogerborg]

From where are you getting this information?

 

[Tommikka]

From where are you getting this information?

Click to shrink...

Past experience and knowing some people

 

[Rogerborg]

knowing some people

Click to shrink...

Are they top men?