FTW uncovers more dirt in the case of the missing removals company

Alan Peat FTW's 'SHERLOCK Holmes efforts - in "The Case of the Missing Household Removals Company" involving Global Shipping (FTW, July 16) - have uncovered further evidence of malpractice. This can be added to two other readers of FTW who - after "suspicions were aroused" and with some "considerable effort" - managed to finally get money owed to them from this rather non-transparent company. But amongst the losers was a prominent ship's agent. This was a case where a first cheque for R8 500 for services rendered bounced. After some effort, a second cheque was pried from Global but again proved to be of the rubber variety. This was for Global sending a shipment of household effects to the UK - a consignment of 257 packages of household goods and two cars. After checking with the shipping line the agent discovered that the container had already been released, and sent on to the consignees. But then another problem arose. The agent was told that the shipment, which was due to go door-to-door, in fact stopped at the quayside - as far as Global had paid for. The consignees had to fork out for the port-to-door leg, and the poor cargo owners had to pay twice for this UK landside leg. The second case was for a smaller monetary amount - but again, payment is not forthcoming. The highly-reputable Premier Freight forwarding company processed certain documentation for Global - "Wharfage orders, bills of entry and the like," Premier's Richard Adamson told FTW. That came to about R900. "But we're still looking for them, and our payment," said Adamson. FTW has also gathered four other names - one of them of another company name - and three telephone numbers. But we haven't been able to speak to any of these as recorded answering systems have come between us. At least one of the injured parties is proposing to lay criminal charges and FTW will report on any further news involving this company.