Is import duty applicable to knives ?

[TC]

Essdee,

I have arrived in India from different countries with knives in my bag. I simply walked through and nobody asked a question - not even with an M4 bayonet I got from Manilla.

They never bother you as long as you are carrying 3/4 small knives. Or maybe even 2/3 fixed blades. But if there are half a dozen and all factory packed then someone may ask the purpose i.e. whether its a commercial import etc. and may ask for duty.
There is a clear way out thought. If having the boxes and invoices are not important then your friend can simply carry 3/4 knives as if they are already used and being carried for personal use during his stay. I hope you get the picture. Bottom line is : I am yet to meet anyone who was caught at an Indian airport and forced to pay duty on folding knives. Well, if it is a katana then the situation is quite different.

Its always the best option (and the cheapest) to get someone to bring knives in checked in luggage.

But be careful about switchblades. That's a grey area in India (in case a customs officer tries to open it just to see what it is )and the problem may occur even with the person flying from the US with a switchblade as these are banned in most states and banned for export too.

TC

[abhiram]

Hi essdee.. no I never got duty free knives. What I meant was when I opted for advance duty, what I ended up paying was more than when I opted for duty on delivery.

Also knifecenter has got iglobal and their own shipment option with pre-duty and duties vary even between those two options.

Regards,

Abhiram

Sent from my GT-P3110 using Tapatalk

Abhiram, would you please explain this a bit.

TC

Hi TC,

In the knifecenter website when you check out after adding items to your cart, they present you with two options. One is iGlobal stores checkout - They have a tie-up with iGlobal stores for shipping across the world and the other one is Knifecenter checkout.

Regards,

Abhiram

[essdee1972]

Thanks, TC-da! I don't plan on getting a Katana or Claymore anyway (unless I want the better half to use the same on me)! Plus I am not a big fan of switchblades (they are anyway illegal in Mumbai). I was lucky enough to find a like-minded friend in US - a guy who goes out after deer and moose and grizzly every season, and actually eats the damn things!! He is ready to explore the shops and get the stuff for me at the lowest prices. Of course, he comes to India once or twice a year, but then the cost savings would probably be worth the wait.

[choombak]

Thanks, TC-da! I don't plan on getting a Katana or Claymore anyway (unless I want the better half to use the same on me)! Plus I am not a big fan of switchblades (they are anyway illegal in Mumbai). I was lucky enough to find a like-minded friend in US - a guy who goes out after deer and moose and grizzly every season, and actually eats the damn things!! He is ready to explore the shops and get the stuff for me at the lowest prices. Of course, he comes to India once or twice a year, but then the cost savings would probably be worth the wait.

Can you please point me to the doc that states switchblades are illegal in Mumbai? Did you get this info from local police?

[choombak]

DO NOT OPT FOR PREPAID DUTY, go with fedex option if kc still offers it.

Duty calculation is gray area no matter what the law says. I had the customs levy duty on a $40 knife and also forced a bribe on me because it was a knife.

Alternately, here is my offer - if you spot a good blade on bladeforums, I'll purchase it for you and ship it your way via USPS first class + registered. Guaranteed delivery in 3 weeks, and because we purchase it on the bladeforums at a lower price the declared value will be low. Plz check with slingshot and moin. Offer only for ifg members.

[brihacharan]

DO NOT OPT FOR PREPAID DUTY, go with fedex option if kc still offers it.

Duty calculation is gray area no matter what the law says. I had the customs levy duty on a $40 knife and also forced a bribe on me because it was a knife.

Alternately, here is my offer - if you spot a good blade on bladeforums, I'll purchase it for you and ship it your way via USPS first class + registered. Guaranteed delivery in 3 weeks, and because we purchase it on the bladeforums at a lower price the declared value will be low. Plz check with slingshot and moin. Offer only for ifg members.

> Hi Choombak,
> It's a great offer from you
> Am sure quite a few IFG Blade aficianados will benefit from it!
Briha

[essdee1972]

Can you please point me to the doc that states switchblades are illegal in Mumbai? Did you get this info from local police?

Choombak, this info is from earlier posts on IFG only...... didn't check the veracity of the same. I do have a couple of switchblades (Chinese make), never take them out, not too fond of switchblades.

Duty calculation is gray area no matter what the law says. I had the customs levy duty on a $40 knife and also forced a bribe on me because it was a knife.

Was this a posted / couriered knife or personal luggage? Eager to know as I don't want a package held up and me queueing up in front of the Customs. Plus my friend, if he gets caught, will probably think more of FCPA rather than the Indian way of doing business!

Alternately, here is my offer - if you spot a good blade on bladeforums, I'll purchase it for you and ship it your way via USPS first class + registered. Guaranteed delivery in 3 weeks, and because we purchase it on the bladeforums at a lower price the declared value will be low. Plz check with slingshot and moin. Offer only for ifg members.

Thanks a million!! I am currently selecting some stuff on KC, will check out bladeforums and let you know through PM. Moin & Slingshot did speak about this......... However, my current bank account allows transfers only to Indian accounts.

[TC]

Thanks, TC-da! I don't plan on getting a Katana or Claymore anyway (unless I want the better half to use the same on me)! Plus I am not a big fan of switchblades (they are anyway illegal in Mumbai). I was lucky enough to find a like-minded friend in US - a guy who goes out after deer and moose and grizzly every season, and actually eats the damn things!! He is ready to explore the shops and get the stuff for me at the lowest prices. Of course, he comes to India once or twice a year, but then the cost savings would probably be worth the wait.

Welcome Essdee, personally I would stay away from a guy who has Grizzly for dinner .... YIKES !! But then if he gets knives for me twice a year I would change my mind

TC

[TC]

Hi essdee.. no I never got duty free knives. What I meant was when I opted for advance duty, what I ended up paying was more than when I opted for duty on delivery.

Also knifecenter has got iglobal and their own shipment option with pre-duty and duties vary even between those two options.

Regards,

Abhiram

Sent from my GT-P3110 using Tapatalk

Abhiram, would you please explain this a bit.

TC

Thank you Abhiram

TC
Hi TC,

In the knifecenter website when you check out after adding items to your cart, they present you with two options. One is iGlobal stores checkout - They have a tie-up with iGlobal stores for shipping across the world and the other one is Knifecenter checkout.

Regards,

Abhiram

[TC]

DO NOT OPT FOR PREPAID DUTY, go with fedex option if kc still offers it.

Duty calculation is gray area no matter what the law says. I had the customs levy duty on a $40 knife and also forced a bribe on me because it was a knife.

Alternately, here is my offer - if you spot a good blade on bladeforums, I'll purchase it for you and ship it your way via USPS first class + registered. Guaranteed delivery in 3 weeks, and because we purchase it on the bladeforums at a lower price the declared value will be low. Plz check with slingshot and moin. Offer only for ifg members.

Choombak you are a complete darling . Moin told me about it several times and I became a member of the forum but I keep forgetting my id and password. Will check in again. Will be obliged if you PM me your e-mail id etc. Since I am have this hunger for old and very old stuff the forum is the right place for me.

Thanks again
TC

[choombak]

Can you please point me to the doc that states switchblades are illegal in Mumbai? Did you get this info from local police?

Choombak, this info is from earlier posts on IFG only...... didn't check the veracity of the same. I do have a couple of switchblades (Chinese make), never take them out, not too fond of switchblades.

Duty calculation is gray area no matter what the law says. I had the customs levy duty on a $40 knife and also forced a bribe on me because it was a knife.

Was this a posted / couriered knife or personal luggage? Eager to know as I don't want a package held up and me queueing up in front of the Customs. Plus my friend, if he gets caught, will probably think more of FCPA rather than the Indian way of doing business!

Alternately, here is my offer - if you spot a good blade on bladeforums, I'll purchase it for you and ship it your way via USPS first class + registered. Guaranteed delivery in 3 weeks, and because we purchase it on the bladeforums at a lower price the declared value will be low. Plz check with slingshot and moin. Offer only for ifg members.

Thanks a million!! I am currently selecting some stuff on KC, will check out bladeforums and let you know through PM. Moin & Slingshot did speak about this......... However, my current bank account allows transfers only to Indian accounts.

The knife was posted via USPS and then handed over to Indian post. Held up at airport customs in santacruz. Cost me a day, bribe, and duty on the knife+shipping. This was express mail, which told them the knife was valuable to me. The declared price was correct as well. I wasn't informed, I called hundred times, emailed, etc. the tracking was stopped at "into customs" for over three weeks. Also Indian laws on how much is duty free are dacronian, the letter I got told me I could only import stuff worth 2.5K duty free, beyond that some 52%.

Since then I opt for usps first class plus registered. This is slow but sure. Registered requires it to be hand tracked at all points and it is a federal offence in the US as well as India. So nobody bothers holding that back. All shipments to slingshot and moin reached fine, must be at least 10 or so in the last two years. Here is a latest package bound for slingshot: http://ipsweb.ptcmysore.gov.in/ipswebtr ... mit=Submit (it can be tracked on India post site and provides end to end tracking). Registration cost is $14, and shipping is around $12.

The safest way is to get knives in checked baggage, few tips:
1. Get no more than 3-4 folders or 2 fixed knives. Don't have a length that would be uncomfortable. Blade length of 4 inches for both is optimum.

2. Throw away all the packaging, and wrap those knives in trouser legs/clothes securely such that anyone who opens the bag does not have direct access. This is to thwart airport thieves (TSA here, and customs in India). I know cases where knives were stolen at secure points, so it can't be anyone but TSA.

3. Calmly walk through green channel. Value of the knife is already low because the packaging etc. is gone and it is no longer a brand new knife. Many people don't wish to throw away the packaging, so you can split it - let some one else carry empty boxes, or if only one trip make a call if blade is more important or the box. I have got 3 folders and 2 fixed blades on two separate trips. And one time I got a jar of knives, spyderco ladybug, and told the officer these were gifts (they actually were, and he was okay). If queried, answer firmly that these are tools/cutlery, and the value does not cross the threshold.

4. Since I buy most stuff over bladeforums, I also keep paper receipts of the money sent. Always keep receipts with you, and show the wad of paper and tell them you can prove if the need be that there should be no duty. Knowing the rules is the most important part of the game, since that is what they play on - your ignorance.

5. Most important: don't try to fool the customs, but stick to the facts. Don't buy $1000 custom and try to pass as a normal user. Importing cutlery is not banned, and having receipts to prove their value adds weight to your words. Obviously know what is a reasonable limit on the number of knives - nobody can help you if your bag has 2 dozen knives. Don't lie, and you should be fine.

6. Purchase knives that actually have some cutting and carrying value. These knives also look normal tools. Specifically, stay away from wicked looking mall-ninja stuff you get on budk, and you will dramatically increase chances of these passing through inspection fine.

[choombak]

DO NOT OPT FOR PREPAID DUTY, go with fedex option if kc still offers it.

Duty calculation is gray area no matter what the law says. I had the customs levy duty on a $40 knife and also forced a bribe on me because it was a knife.

Alternately, here is my offer - if you spot a good blade on bladeforums, I'll purchase it for you and ship it your way via USPS first class + registered. Guaranteed delivery in 3 weeks, and because we purchase it on the bladeforums at a lower price the declared value will be low. Plz check with slingshot and moin. Offer only for ifg members.

> Hi Choombak,
> It's a great offer from you
> Am sure quite a few IFG Blade aficianados will benefit from it!
Briha

Briha sir, I'll be more than happy to help folks on IFG to get the knife of their dream. Just holler...my email is my username at gmail.

[abhiram]

DO NOT OPT FOR PREPAID DUTY, go with fedex option if kc still offers it.

Duty calculation is gray area no matter what the law says. I had the customs levy duty on a $40 knife and also forced a bribe on me because it was a knife.

Alternately, here is my offer - if you spot a good blade on bladeforums, I'll purchase it for you and ship it your way via USPS first class + registered. Guaranteed delivery in 3 weeks, and because we purchase it on the bladeforums at a lower price the declared value will be low. Plz check with slingshot and moin. Offer only for ifg members.

Hello Amar,

I have sent you an email

Regards,

Abhiram

Sent from my GT-P3110 using Tapatalk

[anonymusneo]

quick question-
Can we import swords to India? or only the knives that choombak desribed above?

[essdee1972]

Thanks, Choombak! Much obliged. I am trying to search bladeforums - is it the "exchange" section to be searched?