Re: Parcels to the U.S.

"G.Kelly" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]: 

> 
> Shillelagh This is a good story and I certainly believe most of it -
> the bit I cannot believe is that the parcel will be thrown out !!!  
> Some family members of some customs officer/s will have a good
> Christmas I would venture to bet.

I don't usually post here, just lurk on and off <sounds dreadful, doesn't 
it?> however, I had to reply to this. I work for the Australian Quarantine 
& Inspection Service, currently within the International Mail program. 
We're the people trying to stop plant and animal diseases entering the 
country - and yes, people mail fresh meat, fresh fruit and vegies, live 
plants, even live animals at times (fish, reptiles). 

I don't know any US Customs officers, so can't personally vouch for them, 
but comments like this  irk me. 

We get them occasionally, people telling us to "enjoy" what we've seized 
(not chocolates, biscuits or fruitcake - these are all usually OK). Do 
people really think we would risk our jobs to eat something out of a 
stranger's parcel? Why are government employees somehow less trustworthy 
than anyone else? We are also often blamed for goods that go missing in the 
post - if something a consignee expects to arrive isn't there, and we 
looked at the parcel, then we're an easy target to blame. People forget 
that the postal service employees in the country of origin of the parcel, 
plus the country of arrival, and elsewhere have access to their parcel as 
well. Of course, there will on occasion be an employee of a regulatory 
agency who doesn't abide by the rules, but most of us are honest, and abide 
by our Code of Conduct. And, quite frankly, it just wouldn't be worth it! 

Sorry if I sounded a bit narky, and I'm sure you didn't mean anything nasty 
by it, but this touched a nerve.


I do find it difficult to understand these regulations that have been 
brought in regarding Canadian goods into the US. No problem sending 
foodstuffs like chocolates, cakes, cookies to Australia, as long as they 
comply with quarantine (and baked cakes and biscuits are not usually a 
problem). 100% of international mail is screened by reading declarations, 
x-ray and detector dogs, and if we suspect foodstuffs of unknown 
ingredients the parcel will be inspected, but as long as the products 
comply the parcel is resealed and sent on its way - so any Canadians who 
were planning to post goodies to the US can always post them here instead 
<g>
-- 
Rhonda Anderson
Penrith, NSW, Australia