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General Philatelic/Gen. Discussion : The Customs Service's Version of a Sharpie Shark Attack

 

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philatelia
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03 May 2016
10:54:53am
I have a friend who sends me Venezuelan stamps and she creates these lovely, artistic envelopes to send them in. She ships using Fed-ex because the Venezuelan postal service is in a sorry state.

The US Customs folks were nice enough to slice and dice the cover for me and the glassines inside were also opened. What did they think could possibly be hidden in between a handful of used stamps? Fortunately the stamps weren't too badly damaged. Sheesh!

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ikeyPikey
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03 May 2016
11:06:14am
re: The Customs Service's Version of a Sharpie Shark Attack

I recently FDX'd a large batch of banknotes from around the world (thank you, NYINC!).

Grandchild, birthday, as requested.

Trying to avoid a mess, I scanned the lot, and included the URL in the Commercial Invoice.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ikeypikey/sets/72157664881927914

I also declared a generous value, and prepaid the VAT.

Went thru like a charm.

Cheers,

/s/ ikeyPikey

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cdj1122
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Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..

09 May 2016
03:18:29pm
re: The Customs Service's Version of a Sharpie Shark Attack

" ... Glassines are widely used to package cocaine and heroin coming in from South America. ..."
Really ?
All I've ever seen were in kilo blocks.
I wonder how much one can conceal in a small envelope behind some used postage stamps?
Half a teaspoon of concentrated powder ?
A whole teaspoonful ?
Wouldn't an international shipment be in a plastic weather proof bag rather than a small glassine ?
Once here, glassines and small one inch square baggies become likely between the processor/distributer and customers. But coming in from Venezuela in a fancy decorated attention getting envelope seems like a stretch.

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CapeStampMan
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Mike

09 May 2016
05:30:10pm
re: The Customs Service's Version of a Sharpie Shark Attack

I can't remember every seeing a glassine that could hold it's own to talcum powder, much less what I perceive cocaine to be.
Mike

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ikeyPikey
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09 May 2016
05:33:28pm
re: The Customs Service's Version of a Sharpie Shark Attack

In the US, drugs have been found under the postage on letters mailed to prisoners.

By comparison, one glassine envelope could support a block party.

Cheers,

/s/ ikeyPikey

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cdj1122
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Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..

13 May 2016
02:23:21pm
re: The Customs Service's Version of a Sharpie Shark Attack

".... By comparison, one glassine envelope could support a block party....."

I do not have any real experience sniffing the stuff, but the one inch baggies my ex-son-in-law lived on, barely lasted him an evening. The dummy left the empties around and once we knew what we were looking for several were confiscated and sent off with the S.S. Tidy Bowl.
What a row I think he actually considered coming at me, but that was before I became "disabled" so he backed down and left screaming he was going to call 911. I couldn't wait for the police to come, but he either fell asleep or someone shared some with him.. Well that is why he is an ex- till using but on his on.
I do understand that the raw kilo blocks are cut probably several times, so comparisons are impossible.

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".... You may think you understood what you thought I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you think you heard is not what I thought I meant. .... "
        

 

Author/Postings
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philatelia

03 May 2016
10:54:53am

I have a friend who sends me Venezuelan stamps and she creates these lovely, artistic envelopes to send them in. She ships using Fed-ex because the Venezuelan postal service is in a sorry state.

The US Customs folks were nice enough to slice and dice the cover for me and the glassines inside were also opened. What did they think could possibly be hidden in between a handful of used stamps? Fortunately the stamps weren't too badly damaged. Sheesh!

Image Not Found

Like
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this post

"August 2023 - selling penny start bargain lots on EBay - https://www.ebay.com/str/philatelia"

www.ebay.com/str/phi ...
Members Picture
ikeyPikey

03 May 2016
11:06:14am

re: The Customs Service's Version of a Sharpie Shark Attack

I recently FDX'd a large batch of banknotes from around the world (thank you, NYINC!).

Grandchild, birthday, as requested.

Trying to avoid a mess, I scanned the lot, and included the URL in the Commercial Invoice.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ikeypikey/sets/72157664881927914

I also declared a generous value, and prepaid the VAT.

Went thru like a charm.

Cheers,

/s/ ikeyPikey

Like
Login to Like
this post

"I collect stamps today precisely the way I collected stamps when I was ten years old."

Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
09 May 2016
03:18:29pm

re: The Customs Service's Version of a Sharpie Shark Attack

" ... Glassines are widely used to package cocaine and heroin coming in from South America. ..."
Really ?
All I've ever seen were in kilo blocks.
I wonder how much one can conceal in a small envelope behind some used postage stamps?
Half a teaspoon of concentrated powder ?
A whole teaspoonful ?
Wouldn't an international shipment be in a plastic weather proof bag rather than a small glassine ?
Once here, glassines and small one inch square baggies become likely between the processor/distributer and customers. But coming in from Venezuela in a fancy decorated attention getting envelope seems like a stretch.

Like 
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.

".... You may think you understood what you thought I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you think you heard is not what I thought I meant. .... "
Members Picture
CapeStampMan

Mike
09 May 2016
05:30:10pm

re: The Customs Service's Version of a Sharpie Shark Attack

I can't remember every seeing a glassine that could hold it's own to talcum powder, much less what I perceive cocaine to be.
Mike

Like
Login to Like
this post

"It's been 7 years now, since I joined a support group for procrastinators. We haven't met yet..."
Members Picture
ikeyPikey

09 May 2016
05:33:28pm

re: The Customs Service's Version of a Sharpie Shark Attack

In the US, drugs have been found under the postage on letters mailed to prisoners.

By comparison, one glassine envelope could support a block party.

Cheers,

/s/ ikeyPikey

Like
Login to Like
this post

"I collect stamps today precisely the way I collected stamps when I was ten years old."

Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
13 May 2016
02:23:21pm

re: The Customs Service's Version of a Sharpie Shark Attack

".... By comparison, one glassine envelope could support a block party....."

I do not have any real experience sniffing the stuff, but the one inch baggies my ex-son-in-law lived on, barely lasted him an evening. The dummy left the empties around and once we knew what we were looking for several were confiscated and sent off with the S.S. Tidy Bowl.
What a row I think he actually considered coming at me, but that was before I became "disabled" so he backed down and left screaming he was going to call 911. I couldn't wait for the police to come, but he either fell asleep or someone shared some with him.. Well that is why he is an ex- till using but on his on.
I do understand that the raw kilo blocks are cut probably several times, so comparisons are impossible.

Like
Login to Like
this post

".... You may think you understood what you thought I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you think you heard is not what I thought I meant. .... "
        

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