itseme Posted February 22, 2007 Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 (edited) Hi @ all so, a month ago my Davidsen fiddy was sized by the customs. Today i received a letter from the customs, telling me, that they found the fake watch. They wrote, that i have to say yes that they will destroy the watch. also i have to pay 60 Swissfrancs for the admin cost. If i wont allow them to destroy the watch, they will give the infos (my address and the watch) to Panerai and they can make a "Strafanzeige" (complaint?) aganst me. Also they have sent me a report from the "federation of swiss watch industry" wich is 17 Pages. It includes very detailed pics from the davidsen fiddy and a comparison to the real one. I have attached a few pics from the raport. So what should i do? Shoud i pay and firm that they can destroy the watch or should i write them that i never have ordered such a watch? What could panerai do, if the customs will give them the infos? Thank you & greets from Switzerland itseme PICTURES REMOVED Edited February 22, 2007 by itseme Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve G Posted February 22, 2007 Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 Sounds like customs has a lot of free time to file reports in that lenght. I'd call their bluff...pay nothing and deny everything. I'm sure Panerai would even bother following up any complaint...sound to me like they make 60 swissfrancs as a bonus and it's a way customs makes some extra money. That's the rebel in me talking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andreww Posted February 22, 2007 Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 Simple, tell them you bought the watch under the assumption that it was genuine. Tell them you will not pay their admin fee, as you've already been screwed enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWG Technical Posted February 22, 2007 Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 First of all, by posting the pictures and description here, you have implicated yourself. If a Swiss customs officer is reading this board, he just put two and two together, and you have admitted that you ordered this watch. Big mistake, as you have no way out of this now. I suggest you erase your post, and make your decision in private. This is an open forum, customs problems should never be discussed here. Really bad idea, and even more bad was that you just posted all the information any customs officer needs to find you guilty. RG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crystalcranium Posted February 22, 2007 Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 Wow!!!! Scary....and detailed. I'd get into the witness protection program! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsv123 Posted February 22, 2007 Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 Pay up, put this one down to experience and make friends with someone in another country that has less strict customs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pugwash Posted February 22, 2007 Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 Pay up, lose the watch and call the 60 euros the cost of the document. Then, scan the document and post it up here for us all to see. Oh, and make sure our dealers get to see the document so we can use it to avoid the things they know how to spot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devedander Posted February 22, 2007 Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 Seriously... scan that document up and post it... As for customs seeing this post... unless there is some identifying link or they want to do a lot of detective work to prove it, I don't think a post on a forum can really tie anyone to any kind of guilt... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obelisque Posted February 22, 2007 Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itseme Posted February 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 Thank you for your advice. I think i will write them a letter, that i never ordered such a watch and i think its a mistake and i wont pay the administrativ taxes. I think they cant to much. I mean i ordered a watch and not drugs,weapons or plutonium :-) First i will ask my university professor who is a lawyer... I removed the pics... Greets itseme Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andreww Posted February 22, 2007 Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 But would that not make them ask for a receipt of a proper amount? And ask for customs fee according to that amount. I mean, if I want ot pay $$$$$ for a rep - it's not their fault. It's their job however to collect money. Play dumb. I trusted the guy and sent cash. Expected a genuine watch and customs bill when it arrived. There is nothing illegal in that. I'm not sure about what the Swiss law is, but it seems to me that you wouldn't want to admit that you had any intention to import counterfeit goods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMK000 Posted February 22, 2007 Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 Play dumb. I trusted the guy and sent cash. Expected a genuine watch and customs bill when it arrived. There is nothing illegal in that. I'm not sure about what the Swiss law is, but it seems to me that you wouldn't want to admit that you had any intention to import counterfeit goods. ..... and what about if they ask him to reveal the seller data ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkerouac Posted February 22, 2007 Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 Alternate is to claim that a friend travelling in the far east sent it to you -- you didn't even know that he had purchased the watch for you or that it was coming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t Posted February 22, 2007 Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 you have no chance pay the bill and let´s demaged from customs.. don´t make trouble (it is not my watch... i have never order it)... this makes more trouble for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJGladeRaider Posted February 23, 2007 Report Share Posted February 23, 2007 Hi @ all So what should i do? Shoud i pay and firm that they can destroy the watch or should i write them that i never have ordered such a watch? What could panerai do, if the customs will give them the infos? Thank you & greets from Switzerland itseme PICTURES REMOVED I don't know your system as well as I know ours, but I think the situation you are in relates to the distinction between seizure and forfeiture. I'll tell you how things work here. Customs has the authority to seize any number of things, but once they have seized it, they cannot just keep or destroy it - that would be a bit too much like stealing. They must dispose of it one way or the other via some sort of forfeiture action - in other words, they must resolve the issue of possession. If Customs seizes a watch here, they must account for it. It is your property, contraband or not, so they must tell you that they took it, why they took it, and what your recourse is, and give you an opportunity to challenge their position. If it were me, I would not make any false statements of any kind - and I would not make any admissions either. I would just send them the check and forget about it. By the way, paying the charge is not an admission of anything. I really do suggest that you refrain from following any of the clever, well intentioned, advice. Trying to get cute is a great way to make a little problem into a big problem. Here, making a false statement under these circumstances woould be a felony cognizable under Title 18 USC Section 1001. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMK000 Posted February 23, 2007 Report Share Posted February 23, 2007 I don't know your system as well as I know ours, but I think the situation you are in relates to the distinction between seizure and forfeiture. I'll tell you how things work here. Customs has the authority to seize any number of things, but once they have seized it, they cannot just keep or destroy it - that would be a bit too much like stealing. They must dispose of it one way or the other via some sort of forfeiture action - in other words, they must resolve the issue of possession. If Customs seizes a watch here, they must account for it. It is your property, contraband or not, so they must tell you that they took it, why they took it, and what your recourse is, and give you an opportunity to challenge their position. If it were me, I would not make any false statements of any kind - and I would not make any admissions either. I would just send them the check and forget about it. By the way, paying the charge is not an admission of anything. I really do suggest that you refrain from following any of the clever, well intentioned, advice. Trying to get cute is a great way to make a little problem into a big problem. Here, making a false statement under these circumstances woould be a felony cognizable under Title 18 USC Section 1001. Bill .... sounds wise to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pugwash Posted February 23, 2007 Report Share Posted February 23, 2007 If it were me, I would not make any false statements of any kind - and I would not make any admissions either. I would just send them the check and forget about it. By the way, paying the charge is not an admission of anything. Good advice. Don't forget ... they're right. You were caught doing something very naughty and the clean way out is to pay up and go quietly into the night. If you try to get out of it, you're then compounding things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archibald Posted February 23, 2007 Report Share Posted February 23, 2007 Give 'em the money. You don't want to mess with a government agency which probably sees itself as a protector of one of your county's main industries (which is also why a 17 page report, probably for every rep, is done.) I bet they will send your name and address to Richemont's lawyers. It's is refreshing, though, to see a civilized country at work. The report is intended to prove the fakeness of the fiddy, a service and a warning to you. And they have to have the OP's permission to destroy it. In the US, some customs official would probably just take the watch home and you'd get a letter telling you you're supporting terrorists. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cats Posted February 23, 2007 Report Share Posted February 23, 2007 just PMed you Cats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tag Posted February 23, 2007 Report Share Posted February 23, 2007 It's is refreshing, though, to see a civilized country at work. The report is intended to prove the fakeness of the fiddy, a service and a warning to you. And they have to have the OP's permission to destroy it. In the US, some customs official would probably just take the watch home and you'd get a letter telling you you're supporting terrorists. ah ah... archibald I like your way of thinking ! Are you sure you're from Washington? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raijor Posted February 23, 2007 Report Share Posted February 23, 2007 Hi @ all so, a month ago my Davidsen fiddy was sized by the customs. Today i received a letter from the customs, telling me, that they found the fake watch. They wrote, that i have to say yes that they will destroy the watch. also i have to pay 60 Swissfrancs for the admin cost. If i wont allow them to destroy the watch, they will give the infos (my address and the watch) to Panerai and they can make a "Strafanzeige" (complaint?) aganst me. Also they have sent me a report from the "federation of swiss watch industry" wich is 17 Pages. It includes very detailed pics from the davidsen fiddy and a comparison to the real one. I have attached a few pics from the raport. So what should i do? Shoud i pay and firm that they can destroy the watch or should i write them that i never have ordered such a watch? What could panerai do, if the customs will give them the infos? Thank you & greets from Switzerland itseme PICTURES REMOVED This is a real downer to read. I have been reading how tough Customs in Europe can be. I offer my sympathy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody Posted February 23, 2007 Report Share Posted February 23, 2007 Darn, I wish I had seen the pics and the reports, but got to this post a little too late. Good luck with everything, I hope it will work out in the best outcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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