Re: Mamiya Camera for IR, 120 IR films, & Pentax K1000

["Andy Frazer" <andy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> At 11:00 07/06/00 +0800, you wrote:
> >I have read a warning somewhere (either USPS or Mamiya.. can't remember)
> >that stated that if the US customs get their hands on any, 
> repeat ANY Mamiya
> >gear coming in from overseas - even second hand stuff, it will be
> >confiscated and destroyed - they ARE entitled to do this as the 
> distributors
> >have a water-tight licence agreement on Mamiya imports.  If this 
> happens you
> >will have no recourse to get your money back!

This is probably some scare tactic rumor started by Mamiya.

Although most manufacturers of just about everything these days have
tight import agreements on their products, US Customs allows you to
bring just about anything THAT YOU OWN into the USA (assuming that
it's legal to own it in the first place).

I've heard the same rumors about electric guitars, and it's all nonsense.
If Customs think you bought it overseas, they can charge you duty on
the item (a function of the difference in price between the overseas
cost and the domestic cost), but they can only confiscate illegal
items (e.g. drugs, contraband, endangered animal product, and some
food/plant products that may carry diseases). However, the burden is on
you to prove to them that you bought it in the US.


Andy Frazer
www.gorillasites.com/infrared
*
****
*******
******************************************************
*  To remove yourself from this list, send:          *
*         UNSUBSCRIBE INFRARED                       *
*       to                                           *
*         MAJORDOMO@xxxxx                            *
*----------------------------------------------------*
*   For the IR-FAQ, IR-Gallery and heaps of links:   *
*  http://www.a1.nl/phomepag/markerink/mainpage.htm  *
******************************************************