Import Business........

[Snuffy]

I would like to import products from Asia and the USA to the D.R. I have read in here various stories about Customs and the Port. but I still don't understand exactly what happens when bringing your product into the D.R.

My product arrives via airline. Customs requires that when I pick it up I pay a tax. I have to fill out paperwork. This would all seem straight forward. So how exactly would customs be able to prevent me from taking my product if I comply with written rules? Is my product safe while waiting on me to pick up...or do they go through your product without your presence? Please explain the process I would go through for say Jewelry I am importing from say Korea. I would appreciate that. And please, I don't want to hear stories of doom and gloom...just reality.

Thanks, Snuffy.

[Cyber Park]

in the last 15 years I imported and exported many million of dollars in gold & diamonds, to & from the Free Zones.
In all the transactions, including overnights of the goods in the airport safes or locked rooms we NEVER had any problem with lost or violated shipments.

[Chris]

No doom and gloom - just reality.

We're starting a distribution center for a line of products in one of the free zones. The first shipment arrived by air - clearly marked "Samples - not for resale" with a commercial invoice value of US$100.

We used a 'reliable' customs agent, recommended to us by the shipping company that we used, to clear this shipment. We fully expected to pay some 'duties', 'monies', or something. What we did not expect was to have to pay US$400 and lose 58 items from a shipment of around 300 items. Obviously everyone involved is innocent - No-one is guilty, it was just quite strange when one of the customs officials started telling us how good the product is and how much he likes it. And our agent concured with these sentiments.

No doom and gloom, just reality. So, we take our punishment and next time, walk our own shipment through, step by step.

There are different experiences - some folks never have a problem and sometimes you tear your hair out with one problem after the other. Depends how hungry the specific officials are that you are working with on the day.