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Fined for importing a Airsoft gun

Comments removed.
Stay on topic chaps. 👍🏻
 
UPS are hopeless, purchased a MDT stock from Canada. MDT asked for a statement of use from to be filled in so they could get the permit sorted their end, duly done then they use UPS and twice they asked me for a RIF once to leave the USA and again when it arrived in the UK, which it didn't require
It got from Canada to the UK in 7 days then spent 3 days in their UK depot 28miles from me, twice they gave a delivery date and out for delivery status and twice they failed, 3rd time they gave a date but no out for delivery status on their site, but it did get delivered that day :rolleyes:
I don't think its a UPS problem, but more a Border Force / UK Customs one
Imported goods seem to be held up in Customs far longer now, so the Inland Revenue can be sure they're getting their cut.

A mate imports a range of products into the UK from the USA.
His orders take ages to be processed through customs, and I mean weeks, where before our "exit" it was only non EU stuff that got held up, but the hold ups were far less
Now everything from everywhere has to be checked, so everything takes that much longer
 
I don't think its a UPS problem, but more a Border Force / UK Customs one
Imported goods seem to be held up in Customs far longer now, so the Inland Revenue can be sure they're getting their cut.

A mate imports a range of products into the UK from the USA.
His orders take ages to be processed through customs, and I mean weeks, where before our "exit" it was only non EU stuff that got held up, but the hold ups were far less
Now everything from everywhere has to be checked, so everything takes that much longer

Agreed Rob, in my experience UPS are one of the more professional couriers.
 
I don't think its a UPS problem, but more a Border Force / UK Customs one
Imported goods seem to be held up in Customs far longer now, so the Inland Revenue can be sure they're getting their cut.

A mate imports a range of products into the UK from the USA.
His orders take ages to be processed through customs, and I mean weeks, where before our "exit" it was only non EU stuff that got held up, but the hold ups were far less
Now everything from everywhere has to be checked, so everything takes that much longer
MDT had done all the VAT/Import duties and their Canadian permit to export the stock, the RIF weren't required, the stock didn't need it in reality, but was sent to me and filled in returned, one even asking me the caliber.
Yes it seems their very professional until they arrive in the UK and UPS UK take over it seems, that was the reason for the moan to be honest
 
I have to put out there a small concern I have with ordering from Mundilar Portugal.
Just a couple of weeks ago I ordered five gun related parts from them, they will only do this via email now for some reason. The parts total with delivery was confirmed by them so much in Euros which according to my bank was equivalent to £162, I made payment but the following day received an email, most apologetic but it seemed all part were in fact out of stock. Money refunded according to my bank approximately £152 ! I checked the exchange rates for both days and they hadn’t changed. When you pay your obviously paying in pounds sterling to their account and the sum seems to be applied charges for the transaction. I lost £10 and got nothing ! Won’t use them again. They should have checked stock when confirming the cost.
 
To be honest that maybe not their fault but the exchange rate, it seldom stays the same in hours let alone days. Also there's also a price to pay depending who the transaction was done by
 
I'm surprised it made it through customs without a UKARA, it's not the import part that was the problem
The import part is exactly the problem. It is illegal to import RIFS. Anyone over theage of 18 can own them. To order one from overseas you need to have a valid defence.
 
The import part is exactly the problem. It is illegal to import RIFS. Anyone over theage of 18 can own them. To order one from overseas you need to have a valid defence.
It's not "illegal" at all.

The Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 has specific legislation for this.

Totally legal, so long as (as you then ironically pointed out), you have a valid defence.

Your defence could be Airsoft, re-enactment or just that you like and collect them for display only. So long as you can prove those things, it's not illegal.
 


The court heard how Dodson had ordered the gun as a present for his son because it resembled a weapon used on his son's "favourite video game" Fortnite, and that he didn't realise it was an offence to import it.

He was fined £300 by the court and ordered to pay an additional £120 in surcharge and £85 in costs.
Long gone are the days you could buy classic army M4 airsoft from china and get it a week later no fees 🤣🤣🤣
 
With regards to the man who was charged for ordering the RIF.

Why can you order a glock 17 T4E marker, which is clearly able to fire larger cal BB’s and far more powerfully. It is an actual replica and used as a training pistol by US authorities and can be bought and mailed to you next day here.

In this just a loophole as it is classed as paintball and don’t think this is likely to close?

The law makes absolutely no sense with airsoft paintball and RIF’s imo.
 
With regards to the man who was charged for ordering the RIF.

Why can you order a glock 17 T4E marker, which is clearly able to fire larger cal BB’s and far more powerfully. It is an actual replica and used as a training pistol by US authorities and can be bought and mailed to you next day here.

In this just a loophole as it is classed as paintball and don’t think this is likely to close?

The law makes absolutely no sense with airsoft paintball and RIF’s imo.

You can order a Glock airsoft gun too....

The issue in the above case was him trying to 'import' the RIF.

In any case it is an offence to sell and an offence to import without a valid defence...it is not an offence to own. Meaning you aren't breaking the law by owning a RIF without a defence, but the person who sold it to you is.
 
You can order a Glock airsoft gun too....

The issue in the above case was him trying to 'import' the RIF.

In any case it is an offence to sell and an offence to import without a valid defence...it is not an offence to own. Meaning you aren't breaking the law by owning a RIF without a defence, but the person who sold it to you is.
Sorry yes I guess the point I was making was you can buy them without a defense.
 
Sorry yes I guess the point I was making was you can buy them without a defense.

I would hazard a guess that like airguns, because the power is over a certain limit, paintball replicas are actually classed as firearms, not imitation firearms, therefore exempt from needing a defence.
 
While I was browsing in a dealer I will not mention, I asked about what paperwork I needed to purchase a lovely Glock replica I was admiring. The man said what I needed, then went on to say that if I wanted to take it today he could pop it into the workshop and give it a squirt of blue paint on the slide. I said "would that be emulsion"?
 
While I was browsing in a dealer I will not mention, I asked about what paperwork I needed to purchase a lovely Glock replica I was admiring. The man said what I needed, then went on to say that if I wanted to take it today he could pop it into the workshop and give it a squirt of blue paint on the slide. I said "would that be emulsion"?
If you’re referring to the T4E glock or the other markers l, they are widely available in ‘firearm’ colours without the need for a defence. They can also be sent through the post.
 
I would hazard a guess that like airguns, because the power is over a certain limit, paintball replicas are actually classed as firearms, not imitation firearms, therefore exempt from needing a defence.
Yes, that’s my understanding as well. I still don’t see the logic in it though. More importantly for a legal matter there should be consistency, which is why I was asking if they are a loop hole. In anyone’s opinion of course.
 
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