Seems that all our overseas mail leaving the UK now gets x-rayed

[Steve C Cronin]

Since the Royal Mail quietly introduced their new "Prohibited Goods" regieme a few weeks ago and your local nosey parker postmistress has started asking you what the contents of your parcels are, ALL parcels are now x-rayed and given a little red sticker. Two of my three parcels have arrived safely in Greece but the third which amongst various cosmetics and an expensive Waterford Glass, contained a small aerosol of insect repellent which for some reason is prohibited but you can carry one in hold luggage, hasd not arrived although posted first. When I wonder will I ever see my package again? Not much worried about a few tubes of deodourant but that Waterford glass is a family heirloom. Will the police be waiting on my doorstep in October when I return with an arrest warrant?

 

[RAI]

Will the police be waiting on my doorstep in October when I return with an arrest warrant?

No, they will be waiting at the airport to section 7 you.

 

[Steve C Cronin]

It seems that even gel deodorant is now a "Prohibited Substance" in international parcels!

 

[RAI]

It seems that even gel deodorant is now a "Prohibited Substance" in international parcels!

So is cheese. Some of that is real WMD. However, pressurized aerosols have been unwelcome on aircraft for a long time.

 

[Bertramdriver]

They probably read some of your rants on this site and have you on their list as a " person of interest"

 

[Steve C Cronin]

They probably read some of your rants on this site and have you on their list as a " person of interest"

Like what, for example?

 

[Steve C Cronin]

So is cheese. Some of that is real WMD. However, pressurized aerosols have been unwelcome on aircraft for a long time.

Apart from over-indulgence, how can cheese kill anyone let alone being a W M D?

I often carry aerosols as hold baggage. Never had a problem
This is just the Communications Union flexing their muscles, surely?

 

[RAI]

My wife just got prevented from carrying cheese in her hand luggage. Apparently it could have been explosive. Looks a bit like plastic explosive I suppose, some of it tastes like plastic too.

 

[elton]

Just as long as they don't start x-raying inbound mail, or else my LiPo quadcopter batteries (labelled as "toys") are going to get seized

 

[lurob]

Just as long as they don't start x-raying inbound mail, or else my LiPo quadcopter batteries (labelled as "toys") are going to get seized

Our son mailed a replacement laptop battery to us in Greece in March. The communication between the local Greek post office and us didn't work as it should and the battery was returned to sender. On its return journey it was intercepted by the Royal Mail, indentified as Prohibited and promptly destroyed. I guess it was caught via x-ray.

 

[RAI]

So the Royal Mail has become another organ of the police state of UK.

 

[chinita]

I have some X-Rays of the dog taken last year.

Very tempted to post them somewhere abroad just for a laugh.

 

[John_Parkes]

So what happens if a new camera with it's battery and charger is posted to Greece (or any Eu destination), does the package get destroyed?

 

[macd]

Apart from over-indulgence, how can cheese kill anyone let alone being a W M D?

Were you born with no sense of humour, or did you take a course?
(Granted it wasn't the funniest comment, but jeez...)

 

[Steve C Cronin]

So what happens if a new camera with it's battery and charger is posted to Greece (or any Eu destination), does the package get destroyed?

According to the new 16th July regulations unless the battery is actually INSIDE the camera, YES! (and no spare batteries are allowed so don't send a deWalt cordless drill kit!)

 

[Steve C Cronin]

Were you born with no sense of humour, or did you take a course?
(Granted it wasn't the funniest comment, but jeez...)

This whole thing is far more important than your perceived minor level of offence for which I apologise incidentally.

 

[RAI]

See what you mean :-
http://www.royalmail.com/sites/default/files/DangerousGoods_BusinessCustomerBooklet_July2013_0.pdf
Bad news for Lithium batteries.

I didn't realize that lottery tickets are dangerous goods as well.

 

[Steve C Cronin]

And, mdon't expect to get away with anonymously sending your loved one in the UK a bottle of perfume for Valentine's Day anymore...

"An ID8000 label must be applied (see page 40). The sender’s name and return address must be clearly visible on the outer packaging. These items may only be sent using our 1st Class or 2nd Class products paid for via franking or on account (VAT exempt 1st and 2nd Class Account Mail), Special Delivery™ paid for via franking or on account, Royal Mail Tracked® and Royal Mail Sameday®. Please note Royal Mail Tracked Returns®, Business Response, Freepost™ and all variants of Packetpost™ and Packetsort™ are excluded."


...and note that Royal Mail will ONLY carry it on their highest charging tarrifs!

If she lives in Paris, Rome, Rio, Athens or Sydney, forget it, even though the plane your little package wants to travel on is probably a passenger plane with many, many similar bottles either as "duty free sales", travelling in passengers' bags in the hold or as commercial freight.

 

[pmyatt]

Probably well intentioned, but another nail in the Royal Mail coffin;more business for the "carriers".

 

[Steve C Cronin]

Probably well intentioned, but another nail in the Royal Mail coffin;more business for the "carriers".

When FedEx picked up my new dinghy to bring it out here, I nearly described it as a "blow-up boat" but thought better of it! It left home the day before we did and got here the day after. The last similar package with similar contents to the one which now looks to have gone to an incinerator, crusher or Government Sale, we sent out a few years back when these new restrictions didn't exist, took over two weeks with Royal Mail. So maybe we can live in hope for a day or two yet!

Just a final thought. Who looks after the H&S of the blokes who operate the disposal channels of these so-called "dangerous goods" like under-arm deodorants?