Who is the 'Importer?'

[Longshot]

Right, I was just chatting to someone on Facebook who was asking my advice about something and a scenario came up and I really wasn't sure how the law would see it.

His aunt from the US was offering to bring a RIF over for him. He has a UKARA membership, and thus has a legal defence to import, and was going to give her his number so she could say she was bringing it in for him.

However, I genuinely don't know how they would see this at customs. Would they say to his aunt: 'sure, he's the importer and you're just the delivery service (just like the postal company would be if he'd have had it posted)' or would they say: 'you're the importer, since it's in your possession, and you don't have a defence. Please come with us.'

Anybody have an idea?

 

[Baz JJ]

Im not a legal expert, but as the customs gave no way of knowing where its really going (people tell them stories every day), they would treat her as the importer.

Slightly different, but also interesting I think. A airsofting friend of mine is Turkish and when he was over recently he saw that RIF were much cheaper here than in Turkey. He was interested in carrying one back as hand luggage, but just checking into it, he decided that he would have too many problems just getting it through UK airport security let alone Turkish customs.

 

[Carrel]

Go to 6:50 on this video and you get it well explained on what to do in this circumstance and technically she would be the importer because it is in her possession and its not really a courier service in my opinion. I may be wrong but it would be best to assume she is the courier.

Again go to 6:50 and that should help alot.

 

[Finius]

Bearing in mind that there are seperate customs points of entry for people/domestic/personal luggage and for commercial/freight.

A courier/carrier would operate through freight, and they have the ability to pass off liability. The woman in question would be coming through with it in her standard luggage, therefore meaning she is non-commercial and cannot pass off liability.