doood....that sucks...sorry to hear, fight the good fight, Hope you get your stogies!
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man, sorry to hear about that! do tell us what happens, curious to see how they respond to this!
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Hey, Customs sucks over here also :-)
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no better in Canada....
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Man, UK customs are sounding pretty good, for you lot. They just tax the living crap out of it, no 'you may not have them' :-)
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Ferdie, even if they destroyed them already there has to be a Tort process for recompense on damaged or falsely seized goods as required by the WCO/NATO under the Kyoto Convention.

Sorry to see it happen. I just hope you get a good officer who will fairly judge your response to the seizure.
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Sorry to hear this Ferdi but since you have an appeal process I don't think they'll destroy them until you have a chance to plead your case.....Now I'm glad I gave you the ashtray!
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I gotcha...only the lighters.
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Er... don't bet on it. In the UK, I can think of one prominent story from a few years ago. Wasn't cigars, but a disabled man came back from Europe with what Customs deemed excess items (I'm fairly sure it was rolling tobacco), and his car was seized, along with all the products. He was forced to get a taxi home, 350 miles away, and had no other means of transport. He waited for his appeal, 3 weeks later, where the judge ruled in his favour, he hadn't bought excess items in to the country, Customs & Excise were to return his car and products to him. At which point C&E told him they'd already destroyed the product and crushed his car.
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that sucks. i haven't had many run-ins with customs, but they did snag some DVDs from my bag in Afghanistan.
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Dude. You know too much!:-)

Any update Ferdie?
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Yeah...I'll be curious to see what comes of this. Sorry to hear of the troubles Ferd :-)
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haha. I was thinking the same thing but was also quite impressed and in awe of his knowledge.
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I read a lot. :-)
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nu updates.

Problem is I don't exactly know what was in the box, a lot of singles and a box of Diesel Unlimited.
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A friend sent you a gift. You shouldn't know what was in the box. :-)
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Hope this works out!
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Customs is consistently inconsistent.
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This sux man, i hope you get your stuff. Good luck.
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God bless the US Constitution:

Amendment 4
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Amendment 5 - Trial and Punishment, Compensation for Takings
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

If it was all legit and legal, and this happened here, you'd have a good legal case for some $$$ compensation. Just my opinon, I am not a lawyer.
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