My Rapa and other stuff (metformin and dog eye cream) are stuck at customs (JFK) shipped from India

[Zuman_Ju]

Anyone is having same issue? I have ordered on Feb 12th. The package came to NY on Feb 19th but it is stuck there. No more update about the package. Looks like it is stuck at customs. Is there anyway to figure out by contacting customs or something similar to receive them? Thanks.

[RapAdmin]

Ultimately customs will send you a letter if they are confiscating it, to let you know.

But - 4 to 6 weeks is not uncommon, and given all the changes in tariffs, etc. and DOGEing, they may have manpower shortages, so it may take longer.

See these past discussions:

• FDA-Customs detention

• Order Stuck in NYC Customs? Help!

• Which vendors do a re-ship in case of customs seizure? Which ones ship in separate boxes?

[Zuman_Ju]

Great answer! Thank you. Just curious, why would they seize it? These are not dangerous drugs, like serious painkillers. I do have prescription for all except Rapa though.

[RapAdmin]

In theory, its illegal to import medications into the country, but in the USA as long as its a small amount they aren’t too concerned about it and don’t usually enforce it, but its up to the individual agent. Read up here: Importing Rapamycin to Save Money (2)

[Zuman_Ju]

All right. Thanks. None of my orders were crazy amount. I think Rapa was 60 tables or something like that. Anyway, let’s see what happens. From the links you sent, looks like I have hopeful 7 more days

[AgentSmith]

What are the entries in the tracking history beginning with when it hit the USA?

[Zuman_Ju]

The USPS tracking info has not been generated/shown but the package I see has landed in NY as the entry place to the US. It just says
Mail arrived Flight - LH8050 (FRA to JFK )
then the next day
Received Receptacle from abroad US

[AgentSmith]

There should be more details. Are you using a universal tracking site/app like parcelsapp.com or 17track?

Almost always the first step will say: Processed through USPS Facility ISC NEW YORK NY(USPS). After that it goes inbound into customs.

[Zuman_Ju]

Using parcelsapp., 17 and others. I see no USPS indication at all, thinking it is just sitting there at customs. See, I had another pill delivered to me from Portugal last month with zero issues less than two weeks and that package did NOT have USPS indication whatsoever but it got delivered to me. Actually even today it says it is in transit to me with no USPS info accept saying “This carrier hasn’t updated any shipping info yet”.

[Zuman_Ju]

The top is the one got delivered from Portugal.
The bottom two is different tracking sites for the India package.
Don’t mind the 18/19 Feb. They were both 19, one changed to 18 after the time change last Sunday.

The only weird thing is the details where it says as if it went back to Germany (Frankfurt) but it says US.

[amuser]

What is shown on usps.com?

[AgentSmith]

The odd thing is never getting scans into the system. I’ve never had that happen. Things recently changed at JFK though: Customs and Border Protection introduces new cargo station at JFK Airport – QNS

[qBx123Yk]

My package went through this port earlier this year. I had a larger order than you did. I received it about 3 weeks after I placed my order, which has been the normal transit time. I’ll point out that tracking info stopped at NY, and I didn’t get any usps updates until after my package was delivered.

[schotmanb]

I have had good luck with >KESHAVDAS & SONS MED EXPORTS …they will break your order into multiple shipments …at different ship times…(need to make it at least week). …more shipping cost, but smaller chance of interception. Next time I will try even smaller shipments

[Zuman_Ju]

Nothing. The system knows it is from India though.

[Jay]

Zuman_Ju, as Agent Smith noted parcelsapp.com is a great site. I get better data there than with USPS or India Post Tracking. I’ve also had packages go loop 'd loop from one USPS facility to another USPS facility and back a few times before they finally got routed to me. These days I always look at an India order as a possible loss, and If that happens I just move on and readjust. I generally avoid big orders, though.

[tom2]

I am in NY too. They seized my small package of rapamycin in December and I didn’t bother with it after that.

I won’t be ordering anything again from out of the country.

There are a tons of other things available to improve health and longevity.

[Zuman_Ju]

Did they send you a letter?

[tom2]

Yes they did.

I was going to write a nasty letter to the Commissioner or whoever it was that seized my package, but I didn’t want to waste anymore of my time or energy.

[RapAdmin]

Some people have had success with arguing their case… see this post:

FDA-Customs detention

@Alex: I thought the lore was 300 pill limit. @RapAdmin: oaklandgrrl has apparently been successful, as she posted in Aug. 2023: “My provider gave me an update with this info. I then received a letter from customs that my package would be destroyed, but that I could petition to have it released, which I did. I wrote the FDA arguing that the contents of the package fell within the “personal importation” per 21 USC 384(j). I absolutely did not expect any response, however, a representative of the FDA responded and ultimately agreed to release the package for delivery but expressly did not accept the argument as the package branding was insufficient in that it did not identify the contents with an RX meaning prescription meds. Last week I received the package 1.5 months later.”