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Worried about Canada Customs seizures and crap!


OmegaSeamasterguy

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Please help!!!....I've did searches and can't come up to definitive answers. I'm new to buying reps but not new to buying watches overseas. I've bought 2 watches in Germany. My question here is if I buy a rep will Customs charge me duties and taxes for a $300 watch or will they charge me duties and taxes on a watch of what they think its actually "WORTH" say $5000? Or will they just seize the watch and not charge of what they deemed the worth of the watch?

From what I remember on the 2 watches I bought I think they charged me 5% on the converted ex-rate and then charged me 14% GST/PST

Any advice would be appreciated. The other alternative is to buy a custom watch with sterile dials and sterile backing...maybe Davidsen's 249 cali dial...

What do you think?

Thanks D

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No way you tried a search - this has been asked twice this week.

Did you really search?

I live in Canada and I have bought about 30 reps.

sorry i may be a little slow but i did do the search..."canada customs" i havent found anything on "canadian duties and taxes" on the reps. i know that many canadians here have received many watches...but it doesnt tell me what "extra" they pay in terms of duties and taxes?? sure i can receive a watch but i dont want to pay an extra $300 in duties and taxes...because some customs guy assessed the watch to be worth more. sorry for the newbie question man. hope it makes sense of what im asking.

thx

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I can confirm what the others have said. You shouldn't have to pay any duties provided you don't use FedEx or DHL. Use either EMS or registered mail and you will have no problems.

If theoretically you were hit up for duties on the value of the gen watch, the simple solution would be to refuse delivery, after consultation with your dealer of course.

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Since it is perfectly legal to import a rep in Canada just tell them that it is a rep and sens them a proof of payment for the real price of the rep and you be charged taxes and duties on a much lower amount.

I can confirm what the others have said. You shouldn't have to pay any duties provided you don't use FedEx or DHL. Use either EMS or registered mail and you will have no problems.

If theoretically you were hit up for duties on the value of the gen watch, the simple solution would be to refuse delivery, after consultation with your dealer of course.

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i ALSO live in Canada and have never been charged import taxes or have had any thing seized. our dealers are smart about filling out the declaration colorfully. only time ive ever been charged taxes was importing stuff from the U.S for some reason none of which was a rep and i seemed to have paid some arbitrary amount in taxes too. i import a lot of stuff from china and i feel they just kind of wave it all through : ) maybe *im* just lucky

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Since it is perfectly legal to import a rep in Canada just tell them that it is a rep and sens them a proof of payment for the real price of the rep and you be charged taxes and duties on a much lower amount.

From what I've researched on the relevant policies it's technically not legal to import them into Canada. Canada still has anti-counterfeit laws. The difference is, it's very legal to own them in Canada (i.e. protect the consumer in case of innocent purchase), not legal to sell them, and seizure by Canada Customs requires very specific details on shipments and specific requests by trademark owners before seizure is allowed. The US has broad umbrella-like policies that allow seizure based on "gutt feeling" by inspectors who then validate fake vs. gen and then take action.

There's an interesting older thread here:

Legality of Owning Replicas - Share Your Countries Laws

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From what I've researched on the relevant policies it's technically not legal to import them into Canada. Canada still has anti-counterfeit laws. The difference is, it's very legal to own them in Canada (i.e. protect the consumer in case of innocent purchase), not legal to sell them, and seizure by Canada Customs requires very specific details on shipments and specific requests by trademark owners before seizure is allowed. The US has broad umbrella-like policies that allow seizure based on "gutt feeling" by inspectors who then validate fake vs. gen and then take action.

There's an interesting older thread here:

Legality of Owning Replicas - Share Your Countries Laws

This is the Canadian situation a I understand it too.

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I have bought several reps and I live in Canada. When you track the EMS numbers from the seller you will notice that the package seems to go for a casual visit to Canada Customs then decides to leave 48 hours or so later and then gets delivered. I have never been charged anything for reps coming in to Canada, gens yes, but never on reps. I have one seller that says on the package description "Magnetic Bangle - of little value"

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From what I've researched on the relevant policies it's technically not legal to import them into Canada. Canada still has anti-counterfeit laws. The difference is, it's very legal to own them in Canada (i.e. protect the consumer in case of innocent purchase), not legal to sell them, and seizure by Canada Customs requires very specific details on shipments and specific requests by trademark owners before seizure is allowed. The US has broad umbrella-like policies that allow seizure based on "gutt feeling" by inspectors who then validate fake vs. gen and then take action.

There's an interesting older thread here:

Legality of Owning Replicas - Share Your Countries Laws

From the same reading and other I come to the conclusion that there is no criminal law that prevent ownership and importation of replicated good in Canada. There is a provision on the law for a trademark owner to have the goods seized but nowhere it is mentionned that a criminal law has been broken with associated fine/jail term. Once the goods are seized it become a civil court issue between two parties where the trademark owner has to prove that he suffer a loss.

It will become a criminal offence if you try to sell the goods as gen or if you sell something that break another law such as something that cause a safety hazard.

I am not a layer but from this I conclude that you can legally import a container full of rep watch but may face a civil lawsuit from the trademark owner. But even then again if it is for your personal use they will have trouble to prove that it has done them some harm.

From all this I am event tempted to say that it is legal to sell the rep stuff (i.e. no criminal law broker) if you advertise that the goods are rep.

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