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19 days wait for kava, worried about Costums Clearance (Europe)

nhoeg

Kava Manliness
Hi all.

So, because of @Global Kava Exports's shipping-problems, I tried to order from GHK directly. I live in Europe, so even though I knew it would be a tough one for shipping and customs, I believed that it would arrive eventually.
But today, 19 days after ordering I am getting a bit worried. It hasn't arrived yet, and when I track my number, I see that the status has been "Customs Clearance" since April the 2nd. I know that custom-service check packages for various reasons, bot do I have to be nervous about something? I'm starting to think that they just won't let me get my damn kava.

EDIT: Just for info, I live in Denmark.
 
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Gourmet Hawaiian Kava

Kava Expert
Kava Vendor
Hi all.

So, because of @Global Kava Exports's shipping-problems, I tried to order from GHK directly. I live in Europe, so even though I knew it would be a tough one for shipping and customs, I believed that it would arrive eventually.
But today, 19 days after ordering I am getting a bit worried. It hasn't arrived yet, and when I track my number, I see that the status has been "Customs Clearance" since April the 2nd. I know that custom-service check packages for various reasons, bot do I have to be nervous about something? I'm starting to think that they just won't let me get my damn kava.

EDIT: Just for info, I live in Denmark.
I am sorry that customs is taking so long, did you try to call them to see if there is a problem? I know that sometimes customs can hold it for a week or 2. Let me know what you find out or if you have any other questions, aloha.

Chris
 

nhoeg

Kava Manliness
I am sorry that customs is taking so long, did you try to call them to see if there is a problem? I know that sometimes customs can hold it for a week or 2. Let me know what you find out or if you have any other questions, aloha.

Chris
I talked to customs today, and they said that the package still is under clearance. Because of the easter holidays, and some other difficulties, my package is gonna be delayed for another week or so they said. Thats almost 1,5 month wait combined! That's terrible. And I'm not even sure if I'm gonna get it or not. :grumpy:

I would like to order som micronized kava right now, but don't know if I'm gonna get it?
 

nabanga

Kava Enthusiast
That sucks, but I used to wait up to 3 months for an order of regular dry kava from NZ to be delivered to Laos where I am based these days. I think it actually arrives in Laos after 2 weeks, but takes another 10 weeks for someone to sign it off as OK. Now I keep much larger stockpiles to avoid suffering from customs/ post office laziness.
 
I talked to customs today, and they said that the package still is under clearance. Because of the easter holidays, and some other difficulties, my package is gonna be delayed for another week or so they said. Thats almost 1,5 month wait combined! That's terrible. And I'm not even sure if I'm gonna get it or not. :grumpy:

I would like to order som micronized kava right now, but don't know if I'm gonna get it?
Hey Nhoeg,

Sorry to hear about the problems you are having. We will be reopening GKE in early May in a new European country (no more shipping from Ireland unfortunately). We will email all customers when we start business again. There will be some changes, no sample packs anymore and we cannot do 2 Kilo bulk deals but apart from that, it will be business as usual.
 

ObiWan

May the Brew be with you
When it comes to customs check inside the EU ... one should know that this may still be an issue.
First: The german customs wrotes on their site, that their is a difference between the state territory of the EU and the customs territory. For example, the island Helgoland, part of Germany, is not part of the customs area of the EU. Same applies to some parts of Italy, Spain and France.

Furthermore:
"Due to their transport in the EU internal market mail is not treated regularly from countries of the European Union by the German Customs Administration."

but:

"Under certain conditions, mail inside the EU mayl be controlled. For this, the customs authorities are allowed to open the mail and check whether they contain goods subject to excise duty and on mportation, exportation or transit of statutory prohibitions and restrictions violated. The letters and postal secrecy is limited in this respect."

(translation with help of Google, hope you can understand it).

In case of Denmark, there could be similar rules, at least for the Färöer islands and Greenland.

The best thing GKE can do is to make packages that look ordinary - no sender name containing GKE oder Kava. And preferably hand-written labels. It should be clear that it is the purchasers responsibility and risk to comply with laws in his country.

Maybe it is necessary to label the Kava packages with a sticker saying that it is for pets only and not for human consumption. (This is actually what a lot of shops do when they ship high concentrated Vitamin D to Germany.)

Nhoeg, when the custom officials in Denmark work in a similar way than in Germany, there is still hope for your package. I remebe rthat I even had to wait for three months until a package from USA arrived in Hamburg. For example, it took over a month to forward the package from the customs in Frankurt airport to the customs office in Hamburg.
 

nhoeg

Kava Manliness
How was the Mo'i ??
Actually things got pretty bad with this order.
I wrote that the package did arrive, but it never arrived at my adress. (n) I got a message that it had arrived at the local post office, but when I came and asked for it, they said that they mistakenly had resend it to Hawaii.
So my Moi-experience is yet to come. I have talked to Chris, and he will send my order as soon as he gets the resended package from DK. This thing will probably take forever, because it is going into costums once again!.
 

verticity

I'm interested in things
Actually things got pretty bad with this order.
I wrote that the package did arrive, but it never arrived at my adress. (n) I got a message that it had arrived at the local post office, but when I came and asked for it, they said that they mistakenly had resend it to Hawaii.
Mistakenly resent it to Hawaii -- FROM DENMARK? Jeez, I thought the USPS was bad.
 

Bradley666

Kava Enthusiast
Ya that is insane! 2 months and now waiting even longer...that would suck big time,
It sucks figuring out the best place to order from, but that also sends to your country,..not necessarily for me or people in
the USA...but for everyone else in different countries...sounds like it can be a pretty big pain in the ass!
 

Bubba Bula

krunkadelic relic
We're so lucky to already have Hawaii inside our country. Makes is so easy to get fresh kava root quickly. No customs. Poor bastards in Europe don't know what it is so customs is a big hassle. Your patience will pay off in the end @nhoeg
 

Blippy5

Certified Noble
We're so lucky to already have Hawaii inside our country. Makes is so easy to get fresh kava root quickly. No customs. Poor bastards in Europe don't know what it is so customs is a big hassle. Your patience will pay off in the end @nhoeg
Yea but at this point he will have to buy 5 pounds at a time. It's about time to get yourself a Christmas present!
 
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