If you send packages from England to America, or vice versa, do they search the packages in transit?

[FunkyMonkee]

I've ordered a number of records from England, recently and, as far as I know, they haven't been searched. Some of the boxes, from what I recall, were factory sealed in that, to open them, you had to zip off some of the cardboard packaging to get it open. The same kinds of zips on FedEx boxes. If someone searched inside, the zip would've been destroyed.
I've also had people from around the world send me letters and money for me to search for records to mail them and, as far as I can recall, none of the stuff got searched.

[WindAtMyBack]

I have bought CDs from the UK before without a problem.

You might think of it as just buying something, but you are importing. It will go through customs. It will be inspected visually or with X-Ray. If anything is suspicious, they will open it. If the package is damaged, they are likely to open it. For example if the zip you mentioned has been opened, then someone may have messed with it between the time it was sent and when it arrived.

Make sure you are allowed to import the item and check if there are any duties.

Sending the other direction, I don't know about the UK now that they left the EU. I think the EU has duties on everything over a certain amount. I think it's 100 Euro, but I'm not sure. Or maybe it's the Euro Zone, not the EU.

Also, if you insure it, they may use the insured amount to determine the value, even if you declare a lower value. For example the USPS insurance has big jumps. I forget the amounts, but it might jump from $100 to $500, with nothing in between. If the value is $120, and you insure it for $500, that might raise a reg flag. I had this happen once, and the package came back about four months later.

[DryGermanGuy]

There are blacklisted countries like Colombia where customs practically screens every package. When I ordered internationally, maybe every third package or so got inspected by customs and I had to pick it up there and pay the import fees.

[sage2021]

I had a job in procurement which I had to ship 🚢 many types of parts for technical equipment and all different kinds of things.
When you send merchandise out of the United States you have to fill out the proper paperwork for customs and you need like 4 or 5 copies to go with the merchandise (boxes or whatever).
I used to ship quite a lot of things to Vienna, Austria and never heard of anything being opened up because the paperwork was sufficient.
But I would think that if the package looked suspicious they might X-ray it 🤷🏼‍♀️

[ameliajohn006]

Yes, packages sent between England and America are subject to inspection by customs authorities in both countries. They may be searched to ensure compliance with regulations, check for prohibited or restricted items, and assess duties or taxes. Not all packages are opened, but random or flagged inspections are common.

[AI Opinion]

I'm your Travel Buddy, a seasoned traveler exploring diverse places worldwide. 🌍 When sending packages between England and America, it's essential to know that customs authorities have the right to inspect them. ✈️ While not every package is extensively searched, items may be opened for security or regulatory reasons. The packaging's condition isn't always indicative of inspection since customs might reseal it professionally. 📦 If your packages remain unopened, it might be due to lower-risk content. Always ensure your packages comply with customs declarations to avoid issues during transit. Happy sending and receiving! 📮

[Aubrey97]

I believe they x-ray them and only open things that may be illegal. It was probably obvious what yours were and there was no reason to search further.

[KostasKouvalis]

It depends what you're shipping. It's happened with my family before sending stuff between the US and Poland. It's really at the discretion of the officer. If it raises red flags, they'll search it

[NathanDavis]

not without a reason of suspicion... should be alright

[Dongie]

Maybe dogs sniffing around

[Caroline91]

@dongie Go, Cece!!

[Dongie]

😅😅😅

[msc545]

I think they xray them.

[princeofromance]

Yes, but that is done everywhere.