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Customs Problem

r0b9502

Renowned Member
22/1/17
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Yea, as another has already said, you should have just denied all knowledge of any package when customs asked you to come in to explain. Forging documents, teasing and playing around with Duterte's minions was plain stupid. Of course many have already pointed it out, although in softer words.

What you have to do: firstly, go down on your knees, fold your hands and pray to the Lord that this was not a shipment of drugs! Secondly, forget about this while praying again that they do not come after you to collect duties, taxes, fines and such!! Your best option is they say to you that they will auction, while actually the customs officers will be strutting around with some new PP and AP :) :)

A most interesting anecdote though. I was sort of in this situation once, tracking said package was held by customs. I had resolved to deny everything, and had also mentioned this resolution in a post on this forum. Luckily, I just received the package a week or so later.
 
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m800

Known Member
9/6/19
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Why not just pay the duties and penalties and stay within the bounds of the law?
 

m800

Known Member
9/6/19
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Pay $40K in duty and fees for 2 rep watches? I wouldn't.

Why not? $40k is certainly a lot less expensive than purchasing the gens. Pay the import customs. Then by doing so, you pretty much validate their authenticity as gen watches and have proof from a government agency, to show the naysayers.
 
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W124E

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16/5/19
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I'm sorry to hear that this has happened to you. I'm U.S.-based, but I've had nothing but bad luck from DHL. In fact, the only time I spoke with a U.S. Customs official on the phone (denying any knowledge, speculating that the watch must've been sent as a gift, etc.) I got the agent to admit that at least at my local Customs office, the bulk of the private packages they receive for inspection were sent over from DHL. This is just my personal experience, but I will NEVER use those bastards to ship anything – Rep or otherwise.
 

Acurtisttu

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26/3/19
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USA
I'm sorry to hear that this has happened to you. I'm U.S.-based, but I've had nothing but bad luck from DHL. In fact, the only time I spoke with a U.S. Customs official on the phone (denying any knowledge, speculating that the watch must've been sent as a gift, etc.) I got the agent to admit that at least at my local Customs office, the bulk of the private packages they receive for inspection were sent over from DHL. This is just my personal experience, but I will NEVER use those bastards to ship anything – Rep or otherwise.

agree. these private shippers...fed ex/DHl, ect...do not follow the same policies as government run mail services. search online and you'll see more stories like this. sorry it happened. I'm with everyone else....walk away. Quit responding.
 

Glaude

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Why not? $40k is certainly a lot less expensive than purchasing the gens. Pay the import customs. Then by doing so, you pretty much validate their authenticity as gen watches and have proof from a government agency, to show the naysayers.

:rofl:

Yeah, or, if he has 40k to spare like that, abandon them, and spend 40k in other rep, you can build a serious collection with that sort of money.

If you are here to fool people with rep watch, you choose the wrong hobby and wrong forum I'm afraid (plus he would only have a tax receipt, not a proof of authenticity)
 

Art Tic

Time Machine Collector
26/2/17
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Why not? $40k is certainly a lot less expensive than purchasing the gens. Pay the import customs. Then by doing so, you pretty much validate their authenticity as gen watches and have proof from a government agency, to show the naysayers.

My wife read this and said, "that's The Kardashian logic", whatever that means.
 

Hinclimincli

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Why not? $40k is certainly a lot less expensive than purchasing the gens. Pay the import customs. Then by doing so, you pretty much validate their authenticity as gen watches and have proof from a government agency, to show the naysayers.

That is a GENIUS plan. Made my day, really. So, in your mind, you would have an Aquanaut and an Audemars Piguet Diver "for just $40,000", that were magically turned into gens.

Absolute genius, sir. I am literally standing up and clapping now, lol.
 

farcast

You're Saying I Can Sell?
14/12/18
65
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Thanks for the advice everyone. I did not want to respond when they asked me for a proof of payment at first. I consulted with Puretime about what I should do and they told me to submit the documents because in their experience the package usually gets released upon submission of the documents customs is asking for. I was very hesitant and told them what if they asked me for so much duties (happened to someone already in the Philippines thread) and what if I get caught forging the documents. They told me that I should be fine and these kind of things happen in other countries, but not here. So I gave my DHL agent the proof of payment they were asking for (PT provided this) and subsequently they asked for the conversation with the seller of which I provided. After a week or two I got a call from my DHL agent and told me that I should appear in their office personally and talk to customs because they cannot do anything because I had a lacking requirement for repair (certificate of identification) I asked Puretime if I should go to customs because I’m scared and I would be exposing myself to so much trouble and they told me they think I should, and they sent me a link of a thread where a guy gave a customs official a “small bribe” and they told me that they are sure if I find someone that I can pay a little the watches should be released. And so I went... but everything went the other way around lol
 

farcast

You're Saying I Can Sell?
14/12/18
65
23
8
Thanks for the advice everyone. I did not want to respond when they asked me for a proof of payment at first. I consulted with Puretime about what I should do and they told me to submit the documents because in their experience the package usually gets released upon submission of the documents customs is asking for. I was very hesitant and told them what if they asked me for so much duties (happened to someone already in the Philippines thread) and what if I get caught forging the documents. They told me that I should be fine and these kind of things happen in other countries, but not here. So I gave my DHL agent the proof of payment they were asking for (PT provided this) and subsequently they asked for the conversation with the seller of which I provided. After a week or two I got a call from my DHL agent and told me that I should appear in their office personally and talk to customs because they cannot do anything because I had a lacking requirement for repair (certificate of identification) I asked Puretime if I should go to customs because I’m scared and I would be exposing myself to so much trouble and they told me they think I should, and they sent me a link of a thread where a guy gave a customs official a “small bribe” and they told me that they are sure if I find someone that I can pay a little the watches should be released. And so I went... but everything went the other way around lol
 

tripdog

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Thanks for the advice everyone. I did not want to respond when they asked me for a proof of payment at first. I consulted with Puretime about what I should do and they told me to submit the documents because in their experience the package usually gets released upon submission of the documents customs is asking for. I was very hesitant and told them what if they asked me for so much duties (happened to someone already in the Philippines thread) and what if I get caught forging the documents. They told me that I should be fine and these kind of things happen in other countries, but not here. So I gave my DHL agent the proof of payment they were asking for (PT provided this) and subsequently they asked for the conversation with the seller of which I provided. After a week or two I got a call from my DHL agent and told me that I should appear in their office personally and talk to customs because they cannot do anything because I had a lacking requirement for repair (certificate of identification) I asked Puretime if I should go to customs because I’m scared and I would be exposing myself to so much trouble and they told me they think I should, and they sent me a link of a thread where a guy gave a customs official a “small bribe” and they told me that they are sure if I find someone that I can pay a little the watches should be released. And so I went... but everything went the other way around lol

Philippines Customs are very tough, I know from experience.

Firstly, stop blathering about falsifying more documents to get the watches released, or Puretime re-sending the watches - you have serious legal problems.

You have forged documents in order to avoid paying Import Tax to the Philippine government - so fraud and tax evasion. DHL are simply their mandated agent - they work for the Philippine government and collect import tax etc.

At the moment you owe several 10's of thousands of dollars in fines and taxes - this isn't going to simply just go away, you owe that money to the Philippine government.

You should seek legal advice, the consequences for trying to import counterfeit items would certainly be less dramatic than not paying import tax and fines on under-declared items, but you are still guilty of forgery.
You need to see a lawyer - stop communicating with PT, do not try to bribe a government official into releasing the watches, you are already in deep shit - you need legal advice so that you can start negotiating with DHL and reduce the consequences of this mess to their minimum.
 

jai04

Put Some Respect On My Name
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Brother, I am from Philippines as well. First I want to say that I never use anything aside from registered mail plus a provincial address when purchasing a rep. It kinda flies under the radar. Although you have to wait about 3 weeks. Anyway, have you tried negotiating the "customs fees" because I knew someone who just admitted that those are reps and "haggle" the fees. Is that the office in Pasay?
 

Glaude

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Thanks for the advice everyone. I did not want to respond when they asked me for a proof of payment at first. I consulted with Puretime about what I should do and they told me to submit the documents because in their experience the package usually gets released upon submission of the documents customs is asking for. I was very hesitant and told them what if they asked me for so much duties (happened to someone already in the Philippines thread) and what if I get caught forging the documents. They told me that I should be fine and these kind of things happen in other countries, but not here. So I gave my DHL agent the proof of payment they were asking for (PT provided this) and subsequently they asked for the conversation with the seller of which I provided. After a week or two I got a call from my DHL agent and told me that I should appear in their office personally and talk to customs because they cannot do anything because I had a lacking requirement for repair (certificate of identification) I asked Puretime if I should go to customs because I’m scared and I would be exposing myself to so much trouble and they told me they think I should, and they sent me a link of a thread where a guy gave a customs official a “small bribe” and they told me that they are sure if I find someone that I can pay a little the watches should be released. And so I went... but everything went the other way around lol

If you don't want to end up in a way worse situation, just count your loss, do as DHL said you could, abandon the package and seek other more discreet ways to be delivered in your country, there's isn't a lot of way around this
 
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farcast

You're Saying I Can Sell?
14/12/18
65
23
8
Brother, I am from Philippines as well. First I want to say that I never use anything aside from registered mail plus a provincial address when purchasing a rep. It kinda flies under the radar. Although you have to wait about 3 weeks. Anyway, have you tried negotiating the "customs fees" because I knew someone who just admitted that those are reps and "haggle" the fees. Is that the office in Pasay?

Yes it is. Near the airport. Looks like DHL's speed is indeed more trouble than its worth. Have you had any troubles with Philpost?
 

farcast

You're Saying I Can Sell?
14/12/18
65
23
8
If you don't want to end up in a way worse situation, just count your loss, do as DHL said you could, abandon the package and seek other more discreet ways to be delivered in your country, there's isn't a lot of way around this

Thanks for the advice. Anyway, Puretime and I talked and they said they'd give me a refund if the package is still stuck by August. I'll probably just abandon the package.
 

WATCH HACKER

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farcast OMG. I always tell the Filipino community in here that our customs are tough and really evil. They will charge anything and everything. Brother it's really wrong that you forged documents and the likes. You know the authorities in our country. Everyone is fcuked up.

My suggestion. If you want to have a rep of a good quality. Go to Greenhills. They have a lot in there. But they will charge you real high if you don't know your thing . I go in there last year and they are asking for 45k PHP. For a Rolex Sub that looks like a DHGATE cheapies. Better do your research first. Ingat na lang po sir. Nakakaiyak nangyare sayo.
 
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jai04

Put Some Respect On My Name
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Yes it is. Near the airport. Looks like DHL's speed is indeed more trouble than its worth. Have you had any troubles with Philpost?

Never had a problem with philpost. However it is really a long wait . Average is 3 weeks after the shipment from a TD. Yeah, that's the customs that I am talking about, I use to haggle with them with regards to the taxes . but you cannot do that now due to the forged documents. From my past experience if you tell them its a rep, they are fine with it .As long as its just one or two watches .
 

jai04

Put Some Respect On My Name
19/8/13
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farcast OMG. I always tell the Filipino community in here that our customs are tough and really evil. They will charge anything and everything. Brother it's really wrong that you forged documents and the likes. You know the authorities in our country. Everyone is fcuked up.

My suggestion. If you want to have a rep of a good quality. Go to Greenhills. They have a lot in there. But they will charge you real high if you don't know your thing . I go in there last year and they are asking for 45k PHP. For a Rolex Sub that looks like a DHGATE cheapies. Better do your research first. Ingat na lang po sir. Nakakaiyak nangyare sayo.

That's right .Green hills is full of crappy reps. The good ones, are crazy expensive and not even on par with out TD's. That's the rep game in Philippine. But as I've said, I never had a problem with phispost.
 
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