11/28/2013 3:04:00 PM   CHINA   200237   Receive item from customer (Otb)   
12/14/2013 7:50:00 PM   INDIA   KOLKATA FOREIGN LCAO   Receive item at office of exchange (Inb)   
12/16/2013 5:56:00 PM   INDIA   KOLKATA FOREIGN LCAO   Receive item at office of exchange (Otb)   
12/16/2013 6:02:00 PM   INDIA   KOLKATA FOREIGN LCAO   Insert item into bag (Otb)


and now it just says "No information, please check your item identifier"

i have tried contacting

03322480367,22133305,22481560,22439573,22439576,22623935,22623936,25118849,25514861,03322120498, 22121160,22120476,22105048, 22438607,22155443, 22481560, 22480808,22480375

nobody tracked it...just told me to dial another number ...now i have this long list of numbers i dont knw whose numbers are they...some of em are customs , some of fpo kolkata nd po kolkata....help meeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Something going on Kolkata foreign sorting center.My parcel was sent to airline on jan30 and its still not arrived in india.
http://ipsweb.ptcmysore.gov.in/ipswebtracking/IPSWeb_item_events.asp?itemid=RC011711752CN

Has anyone here received their parcels which was shipped in January from china via china post.

4 parcels were sent to me by different sellers in January by China Post Air Mail. 1 parcel by HK Post Air Parcel

I received 3 parcels without any problem.

1 parcel (by HK Post Air Parcel) was detained by Kolkata Customs asking me for invoice and other documents. Sent them the documents by Speed Post on 18 February. They got the documents on 20 February. And finally they released the parcel yesterday (7 March).

Another parcel is with China Customs since February (may be because of backlog due to Chinese New Year) and it hasn't been cleared by China Customs for export.

I'll post details of customs clearance faced by me regarding the detained parcel once I receive the parcel.

Which date was it "sent to airline" and which date was it received at Kolkata airport/fpo.

Please find attached screenshots of the tracking information of 4 parcels sent by China Post in January.

1. ChinaPost1 RCVD on 14/02/2014

2. ChinaPost2 RCVD on 14/02/2014

3. ChinaPost3 RCVD on 05/02/2013

4. ChinaPost4 Still in China Customs

A 5th parcel was sent by NON-registered China Post Airmail. So no tracking info is available. It was sent on 19/01/2014 from China and received by me on 20/02/2014

The attached screenshot is for the tracking details of the parcel sent by HK Post Air Parcel. It was released by Kolkata customs yesterday. I am yet to receive it.

Hope this helps... 

@suhaibroomy . You can send a RTI application to the Kolkata Foreign Post Office asking for information on your parcel. They are bound by law to reply to your application within 30 days.

Thanks for the screenshots .
All your parcels where sent before the start of chinese new year.Mine was sent on the date of start of chinese new year.

thanks nairitb....i will file one ryt away

@nairitb
Which website are you tracking your parcels.

Tracking Service of India Post:

http://ipsweb.ptcmysore.gov.in/ipswebtracking/

Tracking Service of Universal Postal Union:

http://globaltracktrace.ptc.post/gtt.web/

Tracking Service of a private free-for-all website. It has one of the most extensive tracking networks covering the postal services of almost all countries in addition to providers tracking service of major Courier Operators (FedEx, DHL, TNT, Aramex etc):

http://www.17track.net/index_en.shtml

Please note that this thread is NOT for discussion of RC items, including HK shipments.  Such posts on this thread will be deleted.

This thread is strictly for discussions about customs issues with non-RC items.

Please experts help me, i ordered a android phone from dhgate . com from singapore, its shipped with singapore post on 20th march, it reached KOLKATA FOREIGN LCAO on 25th march, then it sent to custom same day, then it got retained by KOLKATA customs on 27th march, for unspecified reasons, from then there is no update since 16 days, i tried contacting Kolkata customs but they just give me series of other contact numbers then last one saying phone number doesn't exists..what to do now, please suggest me, plus i didnt received any letter from customs, here is what my tracking says,

3/20/2014 3:03:00 PM    SINGAPORE    SINGAPORE S05    Insert item into bag (Otb)    Air    KOLKATA AIRPORT SORTING OFFICE       
3/22/2014 9:00:00 PM    SINGAPORE    SINGAPORE S05    Send item abroad (EDI-received)    Air    KOLKATA AIRPORT SORTING OFFICE       
3/25/2014 9:42:19 AM    INDIA    KOLKATA FOREIGN LCAO    Receive item at office of exchange (Inb)    Air    KOLKATA AIRPORT SORTING OFFICE       
3/25/2014 10:34:01 AM    INDIA    KOLKATA FOREIGN LCAO    Send item to customs (Inb)    Air    KOLKATA AIRPORT SORTING OFFICE       
3/27/2014 4:24:31 PM    INDIA    KOLKATA FOREIGN LCAO    Record item customs information (Inb)    Air    KOLKATA AIRPORT SORTING OFFICE    
Retention reason : Retained by customs for unspecified reason

PLEASE HELP ME OUT GUYS  

Dont worry. You'll receive a letter from Customs Department or the parcel itself within 45-50 days from 3/27/2014. 

I dont remember correctly, but when my parcel had similar retention reason it was delivered with duty. So I assume the status 'Record item customs information' should mean that your parcel has been dutied under certain category. Next update should be 'Received item from customs' if everything goes well.

Delay can be because of of ongoing elections, but anyways as Nairitb stated 45-60 days is usually what it takes for the item to arrive. If you are getting it before that, you got lucky

I remember Last time i went to mumbai customs , i saw 2 android phones detained for no reason and after checking properly in front of the BUYER they released it .
So maybe wait for few more days or else you might wanna see the custom guys

@nairitb , 45-50 days? quite a long time, i will choose DHL from next time, anyways thanks for ur precious reply

@SideWinder , r u sure that my parcel has been dutied? ya i am waiting for ''Received item from customs'' , and ya u got a point, its election times, so thats y maybe its taking time, thanks for replying

@dhruvafreak ,really? so how much days should i wait more before showing up in custom office? , thanks for replying

I mentioned the maximum time for 45-50 days. I got a parcel 41 days after HELD BY CUSTOMS status. During the period I received a letter from Customs department asking me for some documents (which I sent) and subsequently status was changed to "Record item customs information", "Return item from customs" & "Send item to domestic location" on the same day. Received the parcel 5 days after that.

But since your parcel's status hasn't changed to "Send item to domestic location" yet, so I said 45-50 days.

And yes, I was charged duty.

From what I have learnt, they generally detain parcels sent by Air Parcel shipping mode which DO NOT have an invoice detailing EVERYTHING inside the parcel.

@nairitb , thank you very much for sharing your experience, i am hoping for best, finger crossed 

One update guys..I contacted the seller about invoice that did he included the invoice or not..then he replied this "Singapore Post do not need the invoice, I only declare gift and only USD10 on the package" so what custom will do now?

If a parcel contains Android phone and the declared amount is $10, then customs will obviously detain the parcel for further checking. Can only suggest you to be patient as of now.

They may ask you for purchase receipt and other supporting documents before releasing the parcel. Or they may just release the parcel with some duty calculated randomly.

Hello everyone, i was searching on google about some customs information and found this website and thought of asking my problem to you guys. I am new to this custom policies and would be very helpful if you guys help me out.

So, this all happened. Today afternoon i received a letter through speed-post from Kolkata custom office saying that my parcel has been detained for examination at the centre. Now, i have ordered various items from amazon.com and amazon.co.uk but never got stuck in customs. My item is a collectible statue/action figure of video games. Now, the letter says that i will have to mail them some documents and that they will examine the package and sent it to me after which i will have to pay some duty amount. I am very much new to this and so i would like someone to enlighten me as what to do next.

The documents asked to me are:

1: Invoice and certificate of origin. [I have only the amazon receipt if that would do].
2: Copy of I.E.C. [I have no idea as what this is].
3: Purpose of importation.
4: Purchase receipt. [Again, i have only the amazon receipt].

If someone has any experience with it earlier, please guide me as what to do. Thank you.

1 Show them the amazon receipt
2 not applicable to you as its personal import.
3 purpose of it? Fun,Fan etc
4 the same amazon receipt

Thank you hellfire for the reply. I have sent them the documents they asked. Fingers crossed.

I have read through all the posts in this thread, I waited too!
Now just wondering what I should do next.

Pl. see attached the current status of my parcel. It's been this way since the 18th of April.

How long do you guys advise I should wait and what should I do after that?

Worried, if I jump the gun and get in touch with them(india post) they will see it as a sign of desperation and then I will definately be screwed. Playing it cool but for how long?

Thanks,
Ranjeet