# Help please- Customs has opened a sealed booster box **URL:** \ **Category:** General\ **Created:** [January 9, 2019, 7:35am UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/help-please-customs-has-opened-a-sealed-booster-box/22420 "2019-01-09T07:35:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pancakestak](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/pancakestak/32/608_2.png) [@pancakestak](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/pancakestak)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2019, 7:35am UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/help-please-customs-has-opened-a-sealed-booster-box/22420/1 "2019-01-09T07:35:12Z")
Hi all any advice would be great. Brought a sealed unlimited team rocket booster box via ebay, picked it up today and saw it has the examined by u.s customs tape on it. Opened the flatrate box and my heart drops the booster box is opened. There is no clear WOTC wrap in the box. First thing i did, took photos and messaged the seller on ebay… Has anyone heard of sealed product getting opened by customs? Brought the box from a great feedback seller/big store so dont think they are trying to pull a fast one on me. Real crap situation 🙁 ![](https://i.imgur.com/qFNJLyt.jpg) ![](https://i.imgur.com/YAnZjCc.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![acebren](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/acebren/32/400_2.png) [@acebren](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/acebren)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2019, 7:40am UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/help-please-customs-has-opened-a-sealed-booster-box/22420/2 "2019-01-09T07:40:47Z")
Wow talk about a horror story, yep this has happened before, you are covered by ebay so can return it if you choose to, as you paid for a sealed box and received an open one. ---
**Author:** ![KingPokemon](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/kingpokemon/32/283_2.png) [@KingPokemon](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/KingPokemon)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2019, 7:46am UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/help-please-customs-has-opened-a-sealed-booster-box/22420/3 "2019-01-09T07:46:05Z")
Yeah, that’s everybody’s fear who orders sealed product internationally. It’s happened many times and is nobody’s fault. Personally, if I bought it I’d just eat the loss though I’d avoid buying sealed product that needs to pass through customs. ---
**Author:** ![pancakestak](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/pancakestak/32/608_2.png) [@pancakestak](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/pancakestak)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2019, 8:12am UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/help-please-customs-has-opened-a-sealed-booster-box/22420/4 "2019-01-09T08:12:08Z")
Well bugger, thanks for the fast response all… Might have to make some offers on some of your sealed goodies @acebren / Find other aussie sellers… ---
**Author:** ![jakew1992](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/jakew1992/32/762_2.png) [@jakew1992](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/jakew1992)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2019, 8:27am UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/help-please-customs-has-opened-a-sealed-booster-box/22420/5 "2019-01-09T08:27:35Z")
Yet another Aussie customs opening a box 😐😐 ---
**Author:** ![budget](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/budget/32/610_2.png) [@budget](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/budget)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2019, 8:38am UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/help-please-customs-has-opened-a-sealed-booster-box/22420/6 "2019-01-09T08:38:12Z")
At least you now own 36 unweighed team rocket packs, they’ll look cool as part of a display. Always a silver lining. ---
**Author:** ![gott006](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/gott006/32/1066_2.png) [@gott006](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/gott006)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2019, 8:39am UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/help-please-customs-has-opened-a-sealed-booster-box/22420/7 "2019-01-09T08:39:53Z")
Sorry to hear man. Hope ebay helps you out. ---
**Author:** ![cosrob](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/cosrob/32/366_2.png) [@cosrob](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/cosrob)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2019, 1:02pm UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/help-please-customs-has-opened-a-sealed-booster-box/22420/8 "2019-01-09T13:02:20Z")
Who was the postage company? I purchased a booster box from dacard world and paid $70usd postage (wasn’t given an option), they used UPS and it arrived sealed. I did get stung $500aud in custom fees. It may be worth paying the extra money for UPS in the future. ---
**Author:** ![acebren](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/acebren/32/400_2.png) [@acebren](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/acebren)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2019, 1:05pm UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/help-please-customs-has-opened-a-sealed-booster-box/22420/9 "2019-01-09T13:05:57Z")
> [@jakew1992](#): > > Yet another Aussie customs opening a box 😐😐 going by the text on the tape, looks like US customs were responsible 🙁 ---
**Author:** ![winters](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/winters/32/1151_2.png) [@winters](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/winters)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2019, 4:39pm UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/help-please-customs-has-opened-a-sealed-booster-box/22420/10 "2019-01-09T16:39:36Z")
Nightmare fuel, I hope you can get it sorted out asap 🙁 ---
**Author:** ![ozenigma](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/ozenigma/32/2619_2.png) [@ozenigma](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/ozenigma)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2019, 5:05pm UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/help-please-customs-has-opened-a-sealed-booster-box/22420/11 "2019-01-09T17:05:28Z")
How much was the box, and how much are the packs worth? Might be able to get your money back from this, and not hurt the seller in the process. ---
**Author:** ![surfnsnow](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/surfnsnow/32/19146_2.png) [@surfnsnow](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/surfnsnow)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2019, 5:44pm UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/help-please-customs-has-opened-a-sealed-booster-box/22420/12 "2019-01-09T17:44:41Z")
Why would US Customs open a box that’s _leaving_ the country? Have people seen that before? I would think it would be the customs agency in the _receiving_ country that would inspect packages. ---
**Author:** ![cinnaminhbun](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/cinnaminhbun/32/780_2.png) [@cinnaminhbun](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/cinnaminhbun)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2019, 7:44pm UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/help-please-customs-has-opened-a-sealed-booster-box/22420/13 "2019-01-09T19:44:00Z")
Nightmare. Sorry about that, OP. Not sure what recourse there is, but I do agree with anyone who says it’d make an amazing display! I’d be almost tempted to display one of my base boxes like that… ---
**Author:** ![vehicularmenace](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/vehicularmenace/32/811_2.png) [@vehicularmenace](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/vehicularmenace)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2019, 9:16pm UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/help-please-customs-has-opened-a-sealed-booster-box/22420/14 "2019-01-09T21:16:26Z")
> [@surfnsnow](#): > > Why would US Customs open a box that’s _leaving_ the country? > > Have people seen that before? I would think it would be the customs agency in the _receiving_ country that would inspect packages. US customs reserves the right to inspect anything leaving the country. They can’t issue duties since it’s an export but still perform checks on exports to screen for illegals exports. ---
**Author:** ![KingPokemon](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/kingpokemon/32/283_2.png) [@KingPokemon](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/KingPokemon)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2019, 9:22pm UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/help-please-customs-has-opened-a-sealed-booster-box/22420/15 "2019-01-09T21:22:37Z")
> [@surfnsnow](#): > > Why would US Customs open a box that’s _leaving_ the country? > > Have people seen that before? I would think it would be the customs agency in the _receiving_ country that would inspect packages. Very very rare for us customs to inspect outgoing mail. Years ago I did get info on this and was told if a bomb sniffing dog reacts to a package it will be opened. Only in extreme cases like that. ---
**Author:** ![mthursty](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/mthursty/32/159700_2.png) [@mthursty](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/mthursty)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2019, 9:57pm UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/help-please-customs-has-opened-a-sealed-booster-box/22420/16 "2019-01-09T21:57:13Z")
> [@KingPokemon](#): > > > [@surfnsnow](#): > > > > Why would US Customs open a box that’s _leaving_ the country? > > > > Have people seen that before? I would think it would be the customs agency in the _receiving_ country that would inspect packages. > > Very very rare for us customs to inspect outgoing mail. Years ago I did get info on this and was told if a bomb sniffing dog reacts to a package it will be opened. Only in extreme cases like that. Must have been the nice smell of pack fresh wotc holos that got the dog barking on this one. ---
**Author:** ![ozenigma](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/ozenigma/32/2619_2.png) [@ozenigma](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/ozenigma)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2019, 12:21am UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/help-please-customs-has-opened-a-sealed-booster-box/22420/17 "2019-01-10T00:21:56Z")
> [@KingPokemon](#): > > > [@surfnsnow](#): > > > > Why would US Customs open a box that’s _leaving_ the country? > > > > Have people seen that before? I would think it would be the customs agency in the _receiving_ country that would inspect packages. > > Very very rare for us customs to inspect outgoing mail. Years ago I did get info on this and was told if a bomb sniffing dog reacts to a package it will be opened. Only in extreme cases like that. I don’t think it’s that rare, here’s them opening one of my PSA returns… ![](https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190110/f9c1f8252dd1bdd34b37cc4858fa5760.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![pierce](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/pierce/32/767_2.png) [@pierce](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/pierce)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2019, 12:39am UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/help-please-customs-has-opened-a-sealed-booster-box/22420/18 "2019-01-10T00:39:26Z")
Yeah it’s not that uncommon, I had customs open one of my packages from @garyis2000 but all that did was delay delivery a bit. Sucks that they opened your booster box, I’ve had a lot shipped here and thankfully it’s never happened. ---
**Author:** ![zacheggers](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/zacheggers/32/254275_2.png) [@zacheggers](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/zacheggers)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2019, 12:44am UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/help-please-customs-has-opened-a-sealed-booster-box/22420/19 "2019-01-10T00:44:06Z")
I feel for you. What a shame. ---
**Author:** ![poken00b88](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/poken00b88/32/244_2.png) [@poken00b88](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/poken00b88)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2019, 1:03am UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/help-please-customs-has-opened-a-sealed-booster-box/22420/20 "2019-01-10T01:03:32Z")
I have a question. What did the seller write in the customs declaration? There must be a reason they checked your package… [Next page](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/help-please-customs-has-opened-a-sealed-booster-box/22420.md?page=2)