Customs Inspection Nightmares: A Lesson in Tariff Codes and Persistence

If you're involved in the business of importing and exporting goods, you're probably familiar with the joys of dealing with customs officials. While most inspections go smoothly, sometimes you encounter officials who seem to be on a mission to make your life miserable. This is what happened to us at ZAminerals, crystal and mineral sellers based in Mauritius, when we recently had to deal with a customs inspection.

Last week Thursday was exhausting. Customs opened every single box on our pallet. First, they tried to "convince" us that every stone on our pallet was worth the same as high-grade sapphire. Then they spotted the malachite and lepidolite animal carvings and tried another tactic – that due to them being carved – we would be paying duties and taxes (although there are no taxes or duties for this commodity in Mauritius). Then when that didn't work, they insisted that the malachite carvings were artificial and should be declared under a different tariff code!

Oh, and halfway through the inspection, they stopped and closed for lunch. But all's well that ends well. After the lady customs official was back and forth over the phone with her supervisor, insisting we'd have to get the carvings tested before our shipment was released – she came back out and told us that as she had now thoroughly researched the code – we could leave with the goods (almost 3 hours later).

This experience taught us some vital lessons. Firstly, we learnt the importance of understanding tariff codes for our products. Even if we've been using the same code for years, there's always a chance that officials might challenge it. It's essential to do your research and make sure you're confident in your knowledge of the codes.

Secondly, we learnt the value of persistence. It would have been easy to give up and accept the nonsensical terms the officials were trying to impose on us. But we stood our ground and refused to accept their demands until they had done their research and could prove that their claims were valid.

Finally, we learnt the importance of being present at customs inspections. If we had sent a representative instead of being there ourselves, they would have been bullied into accepting the officials' terms. Being present allowed us to defend ourselves and our products and ensure that we were treated fairly.

As we reflect on our experience with customs inspections, we're reminded of the old adage that knowledge is power. Although dealing with customs was frustrating and exhausting, it taught us some valuable lessons that we will carry with us in our future dealings with officials. By taking the time to research tariff codes and understand our rights as importers, we were able to successfully navigate a challenging situation and come out on top.

As with many things in life, persistence, knowledge, and presence are key to getting what you want.

We hope that our story will inspire other businesses to do the same.