SAPO Customs - Detention Notice

[goocreations]

I've ordered something from the UK almost 3 months ago. The parcel never arrived, so I contacted the seller and they were so kind to send me another one (this time with a tracking number). However I also didn't receive the second parcel. I fianlly managed to get the local tracking number and the status is as follows:

1 In transit 2012/08/01 16:02 JHB INT MAIL CENTRE (HUB)
2 Detention Notice 2012/08/01 01:40 JHB INT MAIL CENTRE (HUB)
3 In transit 2012/07/16 15:52 JHB INT MAIL CENTRE (HUB)

Does anyone know what the "Detention Notice" means?

[PsyWulf]

Sitting at customs while they decide how much to charge you to get it,you'll likely get the notice in the next 2 weeks

Easy option: Go to them with the tracking number and notice and get some answers

[goocreations]

I've been waiting for the previous parcel for almost 3 months, it's probably also at JHB mail centre. My local post office and SAPO customer service say they can't help me because customs is not under their jurisdiction.

I've read somewhere that a guy's parcel after getting a "Detention Notice" was automatically send back to the sender. So do I have to worry about this, or can I just wait 2 weeks for customs to fianlly sort things out?

[PsyWulf]

Usually:
It'll reach customs,they check the contents/invoice/description and decide to detain it because of unpaid taxes and duties. Package gets held and notice of detention sent,if the item is not paid for they keep it/destroy it

You need to phone customs directly,get the amount owed and pay it,at which point they will release to your PO

[za1]

I usually just go to the airport and they clear it while you wait

[PsyWulf]

or collect from there yes ^

[goocreations]

I normally pay the taxes at my local SAPO when picking up the package. Do I now have to figure out this myself, because I didn't get any notive saying I have to call them and pay taxes before it is sent to my PO Box, how can they expect that I should know this?

[PsyWulf]

I normally pay the taxes at my local SAPO when picking up the package. Do I now have to figure out this myself, because I didn't get any notive saying I have to call them and pay taxes before it is sent to my PO Box, how can they expect that I should know this?

The notice you may or may not receive will specify this,overall it's less mind numbingly bad to go directly there and sort it out

Other option is emailing them the proof of order so they release to local PO to pay,but that MAY or MAY NOT actually go through even,worth a try,still gotta phone to get the fax number and tell him you're faxing the proof. I actually made a hellopeter complaint after struggling repeatedly for months to get anything

[Jola]

They usually detain a parcel if there is something wrong with the documentation, for example there is no invoice.

They are then supposed to send a notification to the intended recipient that he has to provide this documentation - but often they don't, so the parcels just lies on their storage racks while the recipient just gets more and more frustated.

Just plain incompetence.

Call them and try to trace the parcel, you will then have to personally go to the airport.

[goocreations]

I never received any kind of notice from SAPO. I've asked arround and been on the line for hours until I finally found a lady that told me that my parcel didn't have an invoice. So now I have to get a valid invoice from the seller. Hopefully I'll receive my parcel after that.
Thanks for everyones input.