Australian Customs :(

[dj groove]

Hey guys

Just sharing my story I recently made a order with hookahforum I live in sydney Australia and I order a kilo or shisha well just over a kilo 1.1kilos and customs want to tax me $533 for it which is just ridiculous I thought you could order 250g without paying tax but they had told me that no you get taxed on any amount you order which is just crap I have ordered in the past a kilo, 500g, and they have always opened for inspection and never taxed me for it I have order coal as well with the orders and everything has been fine. They must be cracking down on it or something or maybe I was just unlucky this time I don't know If I should wait a month or so and make another order like 250g with a box of coconaras and hope that who ever inspects it at customs will just clear it and not make me pay tax.

I told customs to send it back then as I don't wish to pay that much tax

I wish aus sold starbuzz and tangiers and other brands all we have is al fahker at $50 to $70 for 250g which is a rip off for 250g when its so cheap in USA.

is there any other aus members on here that order shisha and have had this happen to them I have ordered a few times I guess I should feel lucky that those times it has gone threw and not been taxed I am trying to decide if from now on I am willing to order a kilo and pay $484 tax for that kilo lol it sure does make hookah a expensive thing now. Have been thinking about maybe ordering that hookah hookah herbal stuff but I dont know knowing our stupid customs they probably try tax me on that to lol.

Sorry for the long complaining post just wanted to share this with you guys.

Mike

[joelhookah]

Damn man that is some crazy shit. I heard of taxes, but that is fucking robbery! And $50 for a 250 of AF?!?! Holy jesus! Herbal might be your only way to go. If they tax you on that it would be at a rate normal goods would be, not tobacco. At least my logic thinks.

[dj groove]

Yeah its robbery big time even if I had to only order 250g at a time that wouldn't be to bad still over priced but better then this crap, I am thinking of trying al fakher herbal but not sure what it would be like compared to normal shisha I have tried herbal stuff in the past and not really enjoyed it as much I can not remember the brand I had but it was not hookah hookah herbal. Just hope customs don't try and tax me on herbal shisha I don't see how they can when it has no tobacco but who knows.

Just not sure what I will do now when it comes to getting shisha if I will save up and order a kilo and try make that last a few months right now I am just annoyed at not getting the shisha I ordered and loosing money on it.

[herbalsmoke]

Woah, and i thought buying shisha locally in canada was a ripp. over here 250grams runs for 30-40 dollars. and you pay around 50-70. Thats crazy

[dj groove]

[quote name='herbalsmoke' timestamp='1320730615' post='530691']
Woah, and i thought buying shisha locally in canada was a ripp. over here 250grams runs for 30-40 dollars. and you pay around 50-70. Thats crazy
[/quote]

I would be even happy to pay that if we could get starbuzz and fantasia, tangiers at that price lol still expensive tho.

[ilikemyusername]

i would try to contact somebody who manufactures shisha...a smaller complany... maybe U.S. based and explain your situation.see if you can just get some shisha juice sent to you, then add it to your tobacco purchased in your country. technically if theres no tobacco in it then theres no tobacco tax.

[Rani]

Honestly? I would suggest starting with a local tobacco (organic if possible) pre-dried, etc. And then I'd order the flavorings and some instructions for making your own. And people think we're all "free" in the western world. Not even. What they can't outlaw outright, they tax into oblivion. The US isn't far behind. Might be cheap here now, but just wait a few years. We'll be in the same boat. And I'll be making shisha on my front porch!

'Rani

[Rani]

[quote name='ilikemyusername' timestamp='1320759118' post='530721']
i would try to contact somebody who manufactures shisha...a smaller complany... maybe U.S. based and explain your situation.see if you can just get some shisha juice sent to you, then add it to your tobacco purchased in your country. technically if theres no tobacco in it then theres no tobacco tax.
[/quote]

You know, Eric might be persuaded to make Tangiers flavoring packages for international sale. Just maybe. It's be a relatively easy commodity to handle, and basically a "cash cow" requiring no manufacturing on his part. Those who see him on a regular basis should take up the discussion.

'Rani

[herbalsmoke]

[quote name='dj groove' timestamp='1320731736' post='530693']
[quote name='herbalsmoke' timestamp='1320730615' post='530691']
Woah, and i thought buying shisha locally in canada was a ripp. over here 250grams runs for 30-40 dollars. and you pay around 50-70. Thats crazy
[/quote]

I would be even happy to pay that if we could get starbuzz and fantasia, tangiers at that price lol still expensive tho.
[/quote]

For that price you only get fakher.
no vendor in toronto even knows about starbuzz fantasia or tangiers. i ask them if they have any and they look at me like im insane making up random names

[dj groove]

Thanks for the ideas guys gives me something to think about