Is is legal or fair to be charged for personal items at the customs?

Question

I am a Canadian citizen and had gone back to my home country for 2 months and when I recently came back, a customs officer at the Montreal airport told me that I haven't declared anything and charged me with a $1550 duty bill and I paid it. He took notice of my ring, one of my ties, a Mont Blanc belt and a necklace and since I was coming from a 13-hour flight, I wasnt wearing them. I had put them in my carry on. Now my question is, is it fair or legal to be charged for my personal things? I hadnt bought these items from overseas. They are all from here. I am seeking some opinions from you guys out there and am thinking about filing a complaint. Please let me know.

Thanks

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

I don't think that is legal at all and wood contact the government of Canada immediately !

moiraj927 · Answer

As I understand it, you were returning to Canada from a trip overseas.  On arrival at the airport in Montreal, a customs officer assessed you $1,550 in duty for items that you were bringing into the country with you.  Further, in completing the customs declaration form that you were given on the aircraft you did not disclose that you were bringing in any items that you purchased overseas.  As you probably know, Canadians who are returning to Canada after a 7-day absence are allowed $800 worth of personal items duty free.    

As you were not wearing the items in question and as they were not declared, the customs officer had no way of knowing that you had these items in your possession before you left Canada.  His or her conclusion was that you acquired the items during your absence from Canada and failed to declare them on your return. You are therefore liable to pay import duty on these items.

The proper time to have made a complaint was at the airport when this incident occurred.  You should have asked to see a supervisor on duty and as the Canadian Border Services Agency promises us, your complaint would have been settled quickly at that stage.  Since you did not do this, your only recourse now is to make a formal, written complaint to the department and hope that your complaint will be settled in your favour.  (Let’s hope that you have the sales receipts to prove that you purchased these items in Canada before your departure.)

You may obtain a complaint form from:

http://cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/contact/feedback-retroaction-eng.html.   

You and others need to learn this lesson about travelling.  If you are carrying expensive jewellery or other expensive items or accessories with you on your trip, ALWAYS travel with sales receipts so that when you return to Canada you can prove that you did not purchase these items outside of Canada.   Without receipts, the customs officer will and has the right to assume that the items were purchased away from Canada.

Another piece of advice is that travellers should leave at home expensive items or any items that they cannot afford to lose.

Good luck with your complaint…I hope you get your money back.

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Is is legal or fair to be charged for personal items at the customs?

2 Answers