SEIZURE NOTICE - Form B511

[Scotty]

Gutted.... I ordered some perfume oil from ebay at the start of December and today rec'd a letter from Australia Border Force:

Seizure Notice, Form B511.... Goods seized 100ml STEROID LIQUID

Details of grounds for seizure: Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations - Schedule 8 - Item 3C - Anabolic or androgenic substances

Information Sheet....WHAT ARE YOUR OPTIONS?
DO NOTHING: The goods will be taken to be condemned as forfeited to the Crown and the Department will arrange for the disposal of the goods

​

Didn't get an infringement notice so I suppose that's a good thing..... bit peeved though ~ should have been pretty obvious it was fragrance from the packaging.

So, in 30 days it will be destroyed if I don't claim.... was only $50 worth so not worth the hassle.

Anybody else been caught out like this before?

Hope I don't get a black mark against my name for being some sort of illegal drug importer now! On top of that, you try and go to the Border Force website for information and it no longer exists ~ get directed to the new Home Affairs front end instead.

Gutted....

 

[nav1]

Gutted.... I ordered some perfume oil from ebay at the start of December and today rec'd a letter from Australia Border Force:

Seizure Notice, Form B511.... Goods seized 100ml STEROID LIQUID

Details of grounds for seizure: Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations - Schedule 8 - Item 3C - Anabolic or androgenic substances

Information Sheet....WHAT ARE YOUR OPTIONS?
DO NOTHING: The goods will be taken to be condemned as forfeited to the Crown and the Department will arrange for the disposal of the goods

​

Didn't get an infringement notice so I suppose that's a good thing..... bit peeved though ~ should have been pretty obvious it was fragrance from the packaging.

So, in 30 days it will be destroyed if I don't claim.... was only $50 worth so not worth the hassle.

Anybody else been caught out like this before?

Hope I don't get a black mark against my name for being some sort of illegal drug importer now! On top of that, you try and go to the Border Force website for information and it no longer exists ~ get directed to the new Home Affairs front end instead.

Gutted....

Wow bummer!!

What was the specific perfume oil?
I wonder if it was some carrier that's not allowed or the actual perfume oil.

 

[Scotty]

It was Surrati concentrated perfume oil from Zahras Boutique... here's their ebay shop:
http://stores.ebay.com.au/ZahrasBoutique?_trksid=p2047675.l2563

I used to buy fragrance oil all the time when I worked in Saudi 20+ years ago.... thought I would try it again for old times sake.

All I can think of is they thought it looked suspicious... wouldn't mind so much but you don't seem to be given any options to ask them to look at the item again

 

[nav1]

It was Surrati concentrated perfume oil from Zahras Boutique... here's their ebay shop:
http://stores.ebay.com.au/ZahrasBoutique?_trksid=p2047675.l2563

I used to buy fragrance oil all the time when I worked in Saudi 20+ years ago.... thought I would try it again for old times sake.

All I can think of is they thought it looked suspicious... wouldn't mind so much but you don't seem to be given any options to ask them to look at the item again

That really sucks!
I'd contact them just on principle!!

 

[borked]

Monday – Friday 8.30am – 4.30pm (AEST) on 131 881 and tell those cunts they're fucked!
Seriously is likely one of those overly authoritarian pricks trying to pull a swifty upon what's rightfully yours!

 

[TomG]

Very sorry to hear of your misfortune.
They certainly can be paranoid androids, as I found out at the Frankfurt airport a few months back.
I would follow up for sure. If nothing else, you will have a paper trail that clearly shows that you ordered fragrance oil, not steroids.

 

[Ferret619]

As above it’s worth making a call if nothing else. As for the black mark on your name, I don’t think it would be an issue as no infringement was issued. I have lost a couple of knives that way (dispite them conforming to the 2015 amendment to import laws)

 

[todras]

Gutted.... I ordered some perfume oil from ebay at the start of December and today rec'd a letter from Australia Border Force:

Seizure Notice, Form B511.... Goods seized 100ml STEROID LIQUID

Details of grounds for seizure: Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations - Schedule 8 - Item 3C - Anabolic or androgenic substances

Information Sheet....WHAT ARE YOUR OPTIONS?
DO NOTHING: The goods will be taken to be condemned as forfeited to the Crown and the Department will arrange for the disposal of the goods

​

Didn't get an infringement notice so I suppose that's a good thing..... bit peeved though ~ should have been pretty obvious it was fragrance from the packaging.

So, in 30 days it will be destroyed if I don't claim.... was only $50 worth so not worth the hassle.

Anybody else been caught out like this before?

Hope I don't get a black mark against my name for being some sort of illegal drug importer now! On top of that, you try and go to the Border Force website for information and it no longer exists ~ get directed to the new Home Affairs front end instead.

Gutted....

Providing that you are certain the article does not contain a prohibited import:

Contact them quoting the reference number on the letter contesting the grounds for seizure as being false, untrue and baseless and requiring that they release your goods and further retract the allegation in writing. Mention the cost of the goods and that destruction of the goods will result in a financial claim against the department and a formal complaint. Be firm, insistent but remain polite, do not hesitate to furnish your identification or collect the goods in person.

Explain to them that it is a perfume oil and contains no prohibited substances under S(8). Be polite and insistent, ask for names and the reasons why the goods were seized, further inquire as to how it was falsely ascertained that the object or thing contained a prohibited substance under the section cited.

Do not under any circumstances be rude or abusive towards them, it is highly likely the person you speak to has no direct involvement with the seizure of the article in question.

Good luck, if the goods are not released after the phone-call you may be in for a bit of a slog unfortunately.

 

[Ferret619]

Providing that you are certain the article does not contain a prohibited import:

Contact them quoting the reference number on the letter contesting the grounds for seizure as being false, untrue and baseless and requiring that they release your goods and further retract the allegation in writing. Mention the cost of the goods and that destruction of the goods will result in a financial claim against the department and a formal complaint. Be firm, insistent but remain polite, do not hesitate to furnish your identification or collect the goods in person.

Explain to them that it is a perfume oil and contains no prohibited substances under S(8). Be polite and insistent, ask for names and the reasons why the goods were seized, further inquire as to how it was falsely ascertained that the object or thing contained a prohibited substance under the section cited.

Do not under any circumstances be rude or abusive towards them, it is highly likely the person you speak to has no direct involvement with the seizure of the article in question.

Good luck, if the goods are not released after the phone-call you may be in for a bit of a slog unfortunately.

Quality advice from someone qualified to give it.
10/10.

 

[Eggman]

Monday – Friday 8.30am – 4.30pm (AEST) on 131 881 and tell those cunts they're fucked!
Seriously is likely one of those overly authoritarian pricks trying to pull a swifty upon what's rightfully yours!

G'day borked- I believe you are the gentleman from whom my mate TomG got the awesome Gillette slim birthrazor I now proudly own. Thanks for the new and NOS blades you threw in too!

 

[Razor Burn]

Monday – Friday 8.30am – 4.30pm (AEST) on 131 881 and tell those cunts they're fucked!
Seriously is likely one of those overly authoritarian pricks trying to pull a swifty upon what's rightfully yours!

As somebody who's dealt with Customs/Immigration extensively you can expect to spend a long time on the phone (hours) waiting to deal with somebody who 9 out of 10 times knows nothing about actual policy or procedures. Good luck and if you do proceed then a word of advice, record as much information as possible as experience shows they're under staffed so don't be surprised if your fed different information from each person you deal with. All it may take is getting a name and the person's position. Great at taking your stuff but not so great explaining their reasoning

 

[borked]

G'day borked- I believe you are the gentleman from whom my mate TomG got the awesome Gillette slim birthrazor I now proudly own. Thanks for the new and NOS blades you threw in too!

Not sure if it asks me or someone else here (I try to assist with too many matters to remember them all) yet sure whoever it was appreciates your appreciation

 

[borked]

As somebody who's dealt with Customs/Immigration extensively you can expect to spend a long time on the phone (hours) waiting to deal with somebody who 9 out of 10 times knows nothing about actual policy or procedures. Good luck and if you do proceed then a word of advice, record as much information as possible as experience shows they're under staffed so don't be surprised if your fed different information from each person you deal with. All it may take is getting a name and the person's position. Great at taking your stuff but not so great explaining their reasoning

They are worse to deal with than AusFarce!
Any niceties I once had for them out of automatic courtesy, have long be destroyed by their blithering, bullshitting, bumbling, backwards boneheads!

 

[Blackie]

They are worse to deal with than AusFarce!
Any niceties I once had for them out of automatic courtesy, have long be destroyed by their blithering, bullshitting, bumbling, backwards boneheads!

Hmmm, I get the impression that you don't really like them?

 

[Drubbing]

As somebody who's dealt with Customs/Immigration extensively you can expect to spend a long time on the phone (hours) waiting to deal with somebody who 9 out of 10 times knows nothing about actual policy or procedures.

Surely not. Border patrol only shows what highly efficient, diligent, intelligent and professional people they have, from top to bottom.

You wouldn't be suggesting this show is just some flagrant PR exercise to justify their renaming as a quasi-police force, that keeps Australia free of millions of kilos of drugs and foodstuffs brought in by people on illegal visas who really intend working here and syphoning centrelink?

How can you expect such a SWAT team to take a call about perfume? Man the fuck up.

 

[Scotty]

Well, I took a drive to Customs House just up the road at Brisbane airport with letter in hand. The officer I talked to was a bit surprised when I showed her the eBay purchase on my phone. She went to chat with somebody in the back office, came back and said shouldn't be a problem to claim and handed me a claim form saying maybe there was an ingredient in the perfume oil that raised concern, or maybe a lack of ingredients possibly... couldn't do much about it in Brisbane as the seizure happened in Melbourne.

I asked her about getting a "black mark" against my name and she says not to worry about it.... mentioned that there would be an "intelligence report" but not to lose any sleep over it ~ they only really get concerned if flags are raised by it being a common occurrence.

Still, pain in the @rse when a fragrance purchase on eBay gets seized as STEROIDS..... good luck to anybody brave enough to inject perfume oil into their body!

 

[Razor Burn]

Surely not. Border patrol only shows what highly efficient, diligent, intelligent and professional people they have, from top to bottom.

You wouldn't be suggesting this show is just some flagrant PR exercise to justify their renaming as a quasi-police force, that keeps Australia free of millions of kilos of drugs and foodstuffs brought in by people on illegal visas who really intend working here and syphoning centrelink?

How can you expect such a SWAT team to take a call about perfume? Man the fuck up.

Glad to read you've made some sort of progress there @ Scotty. As for any thoughts that I'm bashing Border Force I'll chose to ignore them as I'm well aware of the excellent work that is undertaken daily by those great individuals who protect our borders. Never meant to offend anybody, just been on the receiving end of poor 'customer service' and hoped somebody else could avoid unnecessary head aches that I had to deal with.

 

[Scotty]

Thanks @Razor Burn, agree, hope they keep up the good work and keep us all safe to keep on shaving

As for my claim..... I'm thinking I'll not even bother now... If I make a claim and they test it and find something "illegal" in there then I'm up for a big legal bill ~ just a bit pi$$ed they flagged the perfume as drugs related, why not something like "substance of indeterminate origin" instead?

 

[Drubbing]

This forum has lost all recognition of sarcasm. Lighten the fuck up.

 

[borked]

Thanks @Razor Burn, agree, hope they keep up the good work and keep us all safe to keep on shaving

As for my claim..... I'm thinking I'll not even bother now... If I make a claim and they test it and find something "illegal" in there then I'm up for a big legal bill ~ just a bit pi$$ed they flagged the perfume as drugs related, why not something like "substance of indeterminate origin" instead?

actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea
Translates to "an act does not make a person guilty unless (their) mind is also guilty".
Good luck in them proving intent
Anyhow, folks these days are willingly using battery acid for their highs...

This forum has lost all recognition of sarcasm. Lighten the fuck up.

Upside smileys mate, the new kids told us that we need to use them to indicate sarcasms!