My laser get stuck by the customs

DarkReaver said:

Here in Germany the custom always want the bill sticks outside of the package.

Click to expand...

I wish I knew that before placing last order. So from your experience, would a paypal receipt of the amount I sent to the seller be FULLY accepted? What are they exactly looking for anyway? I don't understand it. Since the value is written outside the package what do they care for?

I'm not sure, but I think a receipt outside the package would be accepted.
The germans always need something in black and white.:gun::gun::gun:
So the price written on package wouldn't be enough.

DarkReaver said:

I'm not sure, but I think a receipt outside the package would be accepted.
The germans always need something in black and white.:gun::gun::gun:
So the price written on package wouldn't be enough.

Click to expand...

Well that sucks. I'll let you know how it works tomorrow. I told you in PM what I'm gonna do. Well if that won't work I give up...

When this happened with me, I sent the buyer pictures shipping receipt, declaration form and pictures of the actual post office receipt.

The laser was declared as a led, blue, broken flashlight, and parts. Value of $15 iirc and marked as gift.

With the printouts, and explaining that it was a gift, customs released the package.

They had no concrete proof it was a laser though, and since it was a c6 he was also able to show that it's a common flashlight.

Good luck to you guys... hope it works out.

Sorry but what is a "c6"?

Aurora c6...

Aurora c6 - Google Search

wannaburn said:

Are you putting the same return address? Perhaps customs is using some sort
of 'flagging' system...

Click to expand...

maybe he's on the import watch list :thinking:
This is what I was thinking; yobresal is the German equivalent of W1cked Lasers to the US. :crackup:

DarkReaver said:

I'm not sure, but I think a receipt outside the package would be accepted.
The germans always need something in black and white.:gun::gun::gun:
So the price written on package wouldn't be enough.

Click to expand...

I thought this had to do with the VAT in the EU.
Does Germany charge a VAT on imported goods?
I reasoned that the German Customs have to see an actual "bill of sale" to know how much Value Added Tax to charge.

Unfortunately, it seems they already know it's a laser and want to check the power of it. If they won't accept it, I hope they will send it back to the sender. :san:

Yes you're right they charge VAT thats why they need a bill.

I already know that the power is above the permissable power so I will send it back to yob and ask him to send it back in 2 packages(two parts) and he should declare it as replacement parts.

Value of both is the shipping cost which i will send him via paypal.

I was pointed here a bit late, but it seems it worked for another one

DarkReaver said:

Yes you're right they charge VAT thats why they need a bill.

Click to expand...

Yes, they want you to pay VAT, but they are liars. I ordered a lot of items all over the world in the past months. Not only lasers and often got a letter from the customs telling me there is no bill, but on some parcels there was a bill sticking outside, so this was just a simple lie.

You must beat them with their own weapons. They want you to make a mistake by being honest to them.

In Germany lasers are allowed. Just importing them and using in public places is not allowed and the customs can be very tricky about this. For example asking you to turn it on. Once you turned it on, you used it in the customs office and so in a public place and then they got you.

By getting a laser as a gift you don´t import it! But german customs still want to see a bill about 0 Euro or a declaration it´s really a gift. They will ask you where from you know this guy and why is he sending you the gift.

Also, like said above you do not import a laser by getting it as a gift, but everything that is declared as a gift is automatically suspected to them and the chances are high they will keep the laser and send you such a letter about the bill being not there and wanting you to come and show them how much you really paid for it.

Therefore you must follow a few simple rules to get your laser.

1) Never say its a laser! but a flashlight.
2) Let the laser to be shipped in parts and without batteries.
3) Make two payments. One with lets say $10 and the other one with the rest.
4) Show them the Paypal transfer about the $10.
5) In case you get it declared as a gift, you either show them a declaration from the sender or a Bill about 0 Euro.
6) In case they want to keep it, tell them you will get a lawyer because they are not forbidden, just importing them to sell them on the German marked is not allowed but it´s not forbidden for private usage.

I´m not sure german customs are watching this forum, but they are quite clever in searching the net. In my case the customs lady mentioned something like a Tazer but I knew she meant a laser. Finally she gave up by saing I´m grown up and have to know myself I will use if for legal or illegal purposes.

So the whole point is. They are lagal but they want to keep all the morons out there who are pointing at aircrafts or other people in getting one. So in most cases thy just want to see who you are and if you are responsible enought in getting it.

But there are also a lot of customs not knowing the actual laws and thinking they are illegal.

Recently I was watching something about how customs work on TV. They stopped a guy at the airport because of a dryied blowfish telling him it´s illegal to import it. These customs didn´t know they are legal and you can even buy a living one at a petshop if you want to. They had to google themselfs to check they are legal or illegal. So do not simply trust in what the customs are saying.

So if nothing helps you better show them you made your homework and know more about it than they actually do.

honeyx said:

I was pointed here a bit late, but it seems it worked for another one



Yes, they want you to pay VAT, but they are liars. I ordered a lot of items all over the world in the past months. Not only lasers and often got a letter from the customs telling me there is no bill, but on some parcels there was a bill sticking outside, so this was just a simple lie.

You must beat them with their own weapons. They want you to make a mistake by being honest to them.

In Germany lasers are allowed. Just importing them and using in public places is not allowed and the customs can be very tricky about this. For example asking you to turn it on. Once you turned it on, you used it in the customs office and so in a public place and then they got you.

By getting a laser as a gift you don´t import it! But german customs still want to see a bill about 0 Euro or a declaration it´s really a gift. They will ask you where from you know this guy and why is he sending you the gift.

Also, like said above you do not import a laser by getting it as a gift, but everything that is declared as a gift is automatically suspected to them and the chances are high they will keep the laser and send you such a letter about the bill being not there and wanting you to come and show them how much you really paid for it.

Therefore you must follow a few simple rules to get your laser.

1) Never say its a laser! but a flashlight.
2) Let the laser to be shipped in parts and without batteries.
3) Make two payments. One with lets say $10 and the other one with the rest.
4) Show them the Paypal transfer about the $10.
5) In case you get it declared as a gift, you either show them a declaration from the sender or a Bill about 0 Euro.
6) In case they want keep it, tell them you will get a lawyer because they are not forbidden, just importing them to sell them on the German marked is not allowed but it´s not forbidden for private usage.

Click to expand...

+1 What I just want to add is that the way I dealt with it I had no problems. I went there, showed them the paypal bill, was forced to open the package in front of them and I got my stuff. PAypal invoice is all they want. Simply arrange a 2 payment plan with the seller and send him a very small amount the first time, print that or have the seller print it and stick it on the package. Not sure if this method will prevent them from opening it but it should lower the chances..

I think every seller shipping to Germany should be informed about this so there is no future issues. But I would like to know, how should I behave if they have me open a package and have me explain what it is? Or tell them that it's legal to own one? this could cause more trouble imo.

Not sure you noticed I edited my post and added some more info.

Edit: Sorry I understood it wrong.

Oh well. All the myths floating around the net lasers are illegal in germany are because there was one case where a seller was stopped by a court to import lasers > 5mW.

This caused all lasers >5mW are not allowed to be sold here. But this is only a limitation for people who are selling them. It´s not forbidden to buy and own a stronger one.
So this is the only reason lasers above 5mW are banned from the german market and why people are thinking they are not allowed. But it´s a big difference you are doing bussines with them by selling them or just owning them. This limitation is also just limited to complete laser pointers or handhelds. There is even a online-shop selling laser parts and modules totally legal here, but simply no complete lasers.

There is only one exception where lasers are illegal. Only lasers that can be mounted on weapens are illegal and are treated like weapons.

So if the customs tell you they are illegal ask them to show you the law where it says its illegal and what exactly it says there.

honeyx said:

Not sure you noticed I edited my post and added some more info.

Under no circumstance tell then it´s illegal because lasers are NOT illegal. By saying they are illegal you will kick yourself in your ass because they won´t even check they are legal or illegal but simply believe you.

There is only one exception where lasers are illegal. Only lasers that can be mounted on weapens are illegal and are treated like weapons.

Click to expand...

Könntest du das bitte noch einmal deutlicher ausdrücken?

Sorry I´m alread tired and was reading this wrong:

Silvershot said:

Or tell them that it's legal to own one? this could cause more trouble imo.

Click to expand...

So I understood: Or tell them thats it´s illegal to own one....

Already edited it.

I dunno lol I'm tired too heading to bed now. I just wanted to point out that things could get more complicated if you start arguing what is illegal and what not.

Huh Is a laser >5mw illegal in the netherlands ??:thinking:
I ordered 1 from laserselex.nl | lasers, laserpennen en laser gadgets voor het MKB
a greenie 200mw focusable with KVK nr. :beer: But i've seen that they don't sell those anymore.

Yeah the custom released my laser although it's a 100mw hahaha
Don't know why but I'm happy