$200 in Customs Fees for a Birthday Card?

A man says he was asked to pay more than BZ$210 in customs clearance fees to retrieve a birthday card sent by his 82-year-old mother in the United States.

According to the man, his mother paid nearly US$300 through FedEx to ensure the card arrived in Belize in time for his birthday this Thursday. However, when the package arrived, he said he was informed that an additional US$103.19 in clearance fees would be required before it could be released.

“It’s just a little card in an envelope,” the man told News 5, describing the charge as excessive for what he said was a simple greeting card. He said he was also warned that the package could begin accumulating storage fees of BZ$7 per day if it remained unclaimed.

The man explained that his mother had previously attempted to send cards through regular mail, but some were either delayed or never arrived. Because of those experiences, she chose to use a courier service this time. “It’s becoming kind of ridiculous when they start asking for these 200 and some dollars for a customs clearance fee,” he said.

When contacted by News 5, officials at the Customs Warehouse declined to provide details about the matter, stating only that the issue had already been “resolved.” The department did not explain why the package had initially been held or whether the fees were consistent with standard customs procedures.

News 5 was unable to independently confirm what specifically caused the package to be flagged for clearance charges.

The man later told News 5 that he received a call informing him the package had been released and would be available for pickup on Tuesday. However, less than two hours later, he said he was informed that the package had once again been pulled back by the Customs Department pending an investigation.

“I think I’m in some weird dream or something. This just seems ridiculous,” he said.

After 3:00 o’clock this afternoon, he was notified that his package would be released for a $10 fee.