Contacting Embassies

[Tundra]

So, I made some slime to sell right? And at the moment I can only send it in Australia, because I don't want customs people freaking out and thinking it's something dangerous. I emailed customs, and they told me that it's not an illegal item so I have to contact Australia Post about it. I contacted Australia Post, and today I got this reply.

Thank you for your enquiry.
You will need to contact the embassy of the country you wish to send this to for them to advise if you can send this. Australia post can carry it but it is up to the receiving country if they will accept it.


... how do I do that?

[AXJ]

I wouldn't contact the embassy, but look up that country's customs department and email them directly with your question.

[MelancholyBliss]

I agree with what AXJ said. What I wanna know is how they detect contraband in posts in the first place?

But if you want to contact an embassy, don't you just look up the embassy and contact them?

[AXJ]

I agree with what AXJ said. What I wanna know is how they detect contraband in posts in the first place?

They really don't, I don't think, not for small shipments aside from maybe letting the drug dogs take a sniff over them. I shipped 12 bottles of various american beers to England for our tour guide, and while it was technically illegal I figured I'd give it a go. I declared them as "Cheerwine soda in bottles" (Cheerwine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheerwine) is a cherry-flavored soda sold in the southeast US) and they went though with no problem. :)

[MelancholyBliss]

For some reason I think they actually need probable cause for a canine sniff. I think from a report or something I did? I don't know. But I seem to remember that postal workers cannot bring canines into the general area where the posts are and they generally can't remove mail from that area. It has to be proven that there was suspicion. That last part I know.

Things may have changed since. But I also know they need to go through a shit load of red tape to open and inspect mail since it's a federal offense even for postal workers to screw with the mail.

[Tundra]

And this stuff isn't illegal anyway! The only problem is if they *assume* it's something illegal because they can't tell what it is.

[AXJ]

Just clearly declare what it is on the customs form. It'll be fine, I'm sure. :)

[Lord of Fools]

Depends on the country, but embassies and consulates, depending on where you live, are fairly easy to get in contact with, and fairly easy to deal with. We used to get videos from the Japanese consulate in Melbourne.

[KeinesV]

Just clearly declare what it is on the customs form. It'll be fine, I'm sure. :)

Oh absolutely. Clarity is a life saver, "clear as cheerwine" is a maxim I always say.

[Tundra]

But what would I say on it? "Play slime?"

[KeinesV]

Whats it made of?

[Tundra]

I don't *really* want to put it on the customs form, because then the customer will just be able to go and look up recipes. It's hardly original. :P I'm more just saving them the effort of making it themselves.
It's borax, glue and water.

[MelancholyBliss]

I think "play slime" is fine. Or even something more general, though I don't know what you would choose.

I don't think ingredients are necessary. It's not like people who send a doll through the mail are going to declare every component of what makes the doll.

Besides, remember that you're hardly the first person who will have ever made or sent slime through the mail. How are they going to detect what's in it anyway? And if, for the off chance they do confiscate your parcel for examination, you have a means to ask for compensation since borax, glue and water are not just causes to open someone's mail.

[MichaelB]

They have detectors that can tell from the outside if it's animal material, but if you declare what it is on the box, it should be fine. So long as there's nothing in the box that wasn't declared or that they wouldn't expect to find in a box that includes on the contents label the words "play-slime". So don't go sending any swords or gun-shaped cigarette lighters in the same packet, okay?