Importers who find their goods stopped or detained, especially in a case where they need their goods urgently, should take proactive steps to get their goods released. This often means seeking legal advice or going to court.
This was the general consensus of several legal advisers interviewed by FTW on the issue of customs stops, particularly those involving groupage shipments where one consignee’s goods are under suspicion but the entire container – containing multiple consignees’ goods – is seized.
Berning Robertson, senior associate in the shipping and logistics practice at Bowmans, and Quintus van der Merwe, partner in Shepstone & Wylie’s international transport, trade and energy department, agreed that customs had broad powers to stop, detain and examine goods. And they are not required to provide an explanation.
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