3 ms·

- If there is a lot of risk involved in carrying stuff through backpack , does it offer a certain insurance policy for the travelers ? What if the product gets

- If there is a lot of risk involved in carrying stuff through backpack , does it offer a certain insurance policy for the travelers ? What if the product gets seized by customs ? or you are levied a large unexpected fine ? The service doesnt seem to offer any advice on these at all.

benologist 12y ago
A few things can happen. You can be charged the appropriate tax, which can be on-the-spot hundreds or thousands of dollars. This is not a fine, this is just the tax you are required to pay to enter the country with those items. This is generally the outcome when you have eg, a new laptop plus your old laptop. You can also be fined, arrested and imprisoned for smuggling. This is what you can expect if you have 4 laptops and 3 iphones in addition to your own and you didn't declare anything to customs. Foreigners have a higher chance of talking their way out of it as long as there's some plausible reason why you have so much "personal stuff". Chances are fantastic you'll go to prison if they find you work for a smuggling ring, like if your photo is on backpackbang.com as one of their mules.
- mind_heist 12y ago
  Reading all of the other comments ; this sounds pretty illegal right - Why would YC back the start up in that case ?
  - benologist 12y ago
    If you don't travel a lot you probably just don't know. I've filled two passports. I've technically smuggled lots of stuff for myself including a computer I specifically flew to Chicago from Costa Rica to buy as it was cheaper. Edit: actually if you don't have yourself/friends/family in poor countries so you're aware of the local prices you could be completely unaware of this stuff and the tax/legal obligations for importing them.
    - mind_heist 12y ago
      Fair enough, I do realize this is possible ! ( especially when you are flying to developing countries ). But you hinge on your luck to not get caught ( and depending on your 'navigation skills' - you can get out of the scenario ). I m only curious to know about the "legalities" involved ; I m pretty sure this would have been addressed in the pitch. I was only looking for an answer that said : Here are the countries and Here is a list of things you can carry to those destinations without breaking any law. Or if this fell into the "break first, fix later" philosophy of other shared economy startups as well.
      - benologist 12y ago
        You want to look at customs declaration forms and the penalties for lying on them. The consequences will vary by country although the forms themselves are very uniform in my experience. Every single item has some tax on it, however things like your clothes and personal possessions may be excluded at the customs' official's discretion. Lying on those forms or omitting things you are required to declare is illegal and punishable with prison. http://www.criminaldefenselawyer.com/crime-penalties/federal/customs-violations.htm http://www.criminaldefenselawyer.com/crime-penalties/federal...
      - benologist 12y ago
        By the way this is what a legal version looks like: http://aerocasilla.com/ http://aerocasilla.com/ I buy something on amazon, they send it to AeroCasilla's warehouse in Miami, AeroCasilla bring it to Costa Rica and their customs and text me when I can pick it up.
        mind_heist 12y ago
        I suppose you pay additional shipping to AeroCasilla ( for shipping from Miami to Costa Rica ) & also pay additional customs at the port of Entry ?
        benologist 12y ago

benologist 12y ago

A few things can happen. You can be charged the appropriate tax, which can be on-the-spot hundreds or thousands of dollars. This is not a fine, this is just the tax you are required to pay to enter the country with those items. This is generally the outcome when you have eg, a new laptop plus your old laptop. You can also be fined, arrested and imprisoned for smuggling. This is what you can expect if you have 4 laptops and 3 iphones in addition to your own and you didn't declare anything to customs. Foreigners have a higher chance of talking their way out of it as long as there's some plausible reason why you have so much "personal stuff". Chances are fantastic you'll go to prison if they find you work for a smuggling ring, like if your photo is on backpackbang.com as one of their mules.

mind_heist 12y ago
Reading all of the other comments ; this sounds pretty illegal right - Why would YC back the start up in that case ?
- benologist 12y ago
  If you don't travel a lot you probably just don't know. I've filled two passports. I've technically smuggled lots of stuff for myself including a computer I specifically flew to Chicago from Costa Rica to buy as it was cheaper. Edit: actually if you don't have yourself/friends/family in poor countries so you're aware of the local prices you could be completely unaware of this stuff and the tax/legal obligations for importing them.
  - mind_heist 12y ago
    Fair enough, I do realize this is possible ! ( especially when you are flying to developing countries ). But you hinge on your luck to not get caught ( and depending on your 'navigation skills' - you can get out of the scenario ). I m only curious to know about the "legalities" involved ; I m pretty sure this would have been addressed in the pitch. I was only looking for an answer that said : Here are the countries and Here is a list of things you can carry to those destinations without breaking any law. Or if this fell into the "break first, fix later" philosophy of other shared economy startups as well.
    - benologist 12y ago
      You want to look at customs declaration forms and the penalties for lying on them. The consequences will vary by country although the forms themselves are very uniform in my experience. Every single item has some tax on it, however things like your clothes and personal possessions may be excluded at the customs' official's discretion. Lying on those forms or omitting things you are required to declare is illegal and punishable with prison. http://www.criminaldefenselawyer.com/crime-penalties/federal/customs-violations.htm http://www.criminaldefenselawyer.com/crime-penalties/federal...
    - benologist 12y ago
      By the way this is what a legal version looks like: http://aerocasilla.com/ http://aerocasilla.com/ I buy something on amazon, they send it to AeroCasilla's warehouse in Miami, AeroCasilla bring it to Costa Rica and their customs and text me when I can pick it up.
      - mind_heist 12y ago
        I suppose you pay additional shipping to AeroCasilla ( for shipping from Miami to Costa Rica ) & also pay additional customs at the port of Entry ?
        benologist 12y ago