Not strange, but it sounds like neither you nor the buyers understood the legal situation and the correct usage of the carnet. More below...

Geoff, absolutely correct and very well said.


Pecha, absolutely correct.


XTrovert - Although the statements are accurate, this was a very inflammatory and unhelpful way to say it. Waztafel clearly didn't understand the process, but your comments are unsympathetic 'You deserve every headache you get' and sarcastic 'stuffed toy animal etc.' If he had fully understood what he was doing (i.e. was a smuggler), he wasn't a very good smuggler and probably would not have posted here asking for help to solve the situation.


This is probably the best solution, but even if Waztafel was able to fly back and drive the bikes out and back in again on a temporary permit, that might not solve the problem. Customs will certainly have flagged the bikes by now and they will be paying close attention to it. Getting a temporary permit instead of a carnet normally will require some sort of bond or payment of duty, which may be as much as the carnet bond. That's the whole point of the carnet, so you don't have to go through that at every border.

In many countries, you cannot come in with the bike on a temporary permit and then decide to import it. You have to do the import paperwork before entering the country.


XTrovert - People are 'ganging up on you' because they felt you were rude, sarcastic and unhelpful, so take that to heart and try to be more sympathetic.

Many people run into trouble with importing regulations and shipping, because it is a complex subject and every country has different rules, depending on whether they have a vehicle industry to protect. Try getting a bike out of Egypt legally by air even with a carnet - it took us days and much desk-pounding! The Carnet de Passage is also a complex subject, which takes 20 minutes to cover on the Achievable Dream Get Ready! DVD.

Taking the bike out of the country and bringing it back in on a temporary permit is not a felony. Selling it may be illegal (though not necessarily a felony), but I suspect that the bond required will make it financially unattractive anyway - which is the whole point. They want their duty!

Unless anyone has specific information about South African law with respect to vehicle imports, then enough has been said on this topic!

Everyone to their corners and take a time out!

__________________
Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
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Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
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