Posted by Correct Information on March 18, 1997 at 14:52:33:
In Reply to: Re: Shipping posted by moonface on March 18, 1997 at 10:48:17:
: : I received a post via email explaining the pros and cons of sending 'stuff' through first class mail or via a service. To put it simply, the advantage to first class was the shear volume of mail, and the fact that customs
: : needs a search warrant to go through your mail. If you don't think that the customs agents aren't sitting on the line with a handful of search warrants ready to go onto whatever they feel like you are a retard. Do you believe that they look at a package and then pull it and then go call a judge and say, 'Hey judge, can I have a search warrant for this package.'? Bullshit. They open it first. Hell, they yell search warrant AFTER they
: : bust down the f'in door of your house and have a gun to your head. They don't even have to have a search warrant to enter your house. If you open the door to the cops you are screwed! If you open the door and they observe that you look suspicious they can come in and if they don't have a warrant one will 'stay' with you while the other goes and gets one. So, don't ever open your door to a cop! Customs can do whatever they want with your package!
: : Shear volume. Customs is going to assign a proportional number of officers to what volume of mail they
: : think they can cover. There are not going to be proportionately more officers assigned to private mail services.
: : In fact, it may better your odds to send private because there are going to be more officers on the first class side.
: : Additionally, most mail carriers have an on time guarantee of some kind and if you think they are going to let
: : customs hold up whole planeloads of mail your goofy. That would break their contract and they'd be refunding money right and left.
: : Let's say you don't need a warrant to open private carriers' mail. You think that legitimate business would let
: : customs go around opening confidential mail whenever they feel like it? Wrong, they'd be getting their ass
: : sued off!
: : Well, there's a few thoughts on how you may want to mail. And as usual I'm not recommending you do anything illegal. Just some points to ponder. BTW, it looks like
: : I'm going on vacation in the first week of April as there is nowhere to stay where
: : I wnat to go until then. So you still have time to get in! Anarchy in the USA!
: Customs never needs a search warrant to open mail. Private courier or otherwise it is their job to open and inspect packages. Don't think your right to privacy extends to customs becuase it doesn't. If they open a package with gear (their job) your screwed (no warrant needed)!
Customs needs a search warrant for first class mail, any other class can be opened at will. A first class package
cannot be opened or detained without probable cause.
As far as private mail carriers go you are dead wrong about held up shipments. If you notice in the
fine print about delivery times that they will not be held accountable for customs delays, so no free shipping
for held packages. They can give a rats ass if you packe is held by customs and is late. It's not their fault period.
The widespread use of private mail carriers for illegal importation has come to the attetion
of the federal goverment and the private mail carriers are doing everything they can to cooperate.
Every private mail package is inspected by customs! Whereas only random inspections are done on first class mail,
YES, do to shear volume.