Aloha All!
Some of you collectors, divers, dealers have traveled abroad to collect or
buy shells from different localities. When returning home you must sign a
declaration form stating how much you spent & on what. What do you do about
the shells?
You ask yourself do I lie? Do I dare declare them & how much? Of course you
declare them. If you don't you risk your babies being confiscated. Now how
about the declared value? You just spent, say $2,000US but you're allowed
$400 duty free. What now?
There's a international code dealing with un-worked seashells (meaning non-
handicrafted shells like specimen shells) that allow importation without
declaration payment. The code is #.0608-.000-.000. Custom officials aren't
usually aware of this but a custom broker is.
When travelling abroad write this code number down. It saved me alot of
money (15%) in possible declaration tax when last I arrived from Australia.
                                               Mahalo! Chris Takahashi