CITES update for Australia

[Nippon]

So, I just brought back two Fender Strats from Japan, both with dark rosewood boards.

I declared that I had wooden items to customs, so I was refered to the inspection station. The customs officer aaked how long I had the guitars and how old they were. I said one was 89 and one was 2014. The 2014 was in its case which was wrapped in bubble. She didn't bother to look at 2014.

As the 89 was in my suitcase, she decided to check it out. I pulled the body and the neck out, to which she said, "that looks nice'. She looked at the dark rosewood for about a second and said thanks.

She said she just wanted to check if the guitar was an 'old one'.

It seems that the CITES rosewood issue is not a high priority, atleast for Australian Customs.

Hope this helps.

 

[ARandall]

How many other people were coming off the plane at the same time???

I've flown home to Melbourne with my bike many times.....but the last 2 years we've arrived at the same time as 2 other A380's and due to sheer numbers they've simply waved me through where before they've gone over the bike/shoes etc with a fine tooth comb to ensure no dirt adhesion.

 

[Nippon]

How many other people were coming off the plane at the same time???

I've flown home to Melbourne with my bike many times.....but the last 2 years we've arrived at the same time as 2 other A380's and due to sheer numbers they've simply waved me through where before they've gone over the bike/shoes etc with a fine tooth comb to ensure no dirt adhesion.

It was a flight into Cairns. There was just one internatiinal arrival at the time. Not like Sydney or Melbourne.

I don't think flights from Japan are seen as high risk, in regard to customs.

There were other customs officers just standing behind their inspection stations.

I feel confident that I can bring more guitars back, without an issue.

Customs didn't even ask me about the value of the guitars.

 

[ARandall]

Cool.

Yes, a flight into Cairns is hardly going to be unloading a lot of people.
Actually they were filming Border Security on the day I came in - signs around everywhere telling passengers to alert officals if they didn't want to be filmed.

 

[bluesriffdev]

IIRC the new CITES law allows you to bring up to 10kg of finished rosewood products with you through customs in an airport. I think the main concern is shipping them, rather than actually bringing them on through with you.

 

[aside]

Anyone had a RW axe shipped to Australia from the US (or elsewhere) recently? Any issues?

 

[Left Paw]

Wonder what the comment about 'old one' meant. Like, have they been told to look out for only those ? And, if so, how would they define 'old' ?