Incomming tracked letter not updated for a month!

[Chatterjee_Soubhik]

Hi everyone,

I had engaged in a swap with a friend of mine from Italy, at the beginning of June, 2021. The package he sent contains coins (none of which are current legal tenders in any nation)- Pre euros from Spain, Italy, France & the Vatican, having a total weight of approximately 220g. None of the items are over 100 years old, with the oldest being a 1922 Italy 1 Lira KM#62. The letter has a CN22 customs declaration attached with a declared value of 13 EUR.

The letter was posted (Tracking No: RC221339259IT) on the 10th of June, 2021 in Italy. On 18th of June, it reached India ("Mumbai Airport Sorting Office"), post which it was dispatched the very same day for "Kolkata Air Foreign RLO Building". However, post that entry on 18th June, 2021, there are no more updates till date regarding the whereabouts of the tracked letter.

This untraceability of the tracked letter is worrying me, as the swap is a little on the expensive side given my budget. I'm attaching the screenshots of the tracking portals, the registration receipt of the letter, & the contents of the letter. Any insight, advice or help in this regard would be very useful for me.

with hope that the letter isn't lost & I receive it safely.
regards,
Soubhik.

Links:
Current Tracking of RC221339259IT

Attachments:
1- India Post Tracking Portal
2- Poste Italiane Tracking
3- UPU Tracking Portal
4- Registration Receipt of the Letter with Personal Information blackened
5 & 6- Contents of the letter

[brandm24]

I've had similar experiences, Soubhik, and, yes, it is concerning. Most of what I buy is from the UK or Ireland and is shipped "tracked and signed" to me here in the US. The service is very expensive but the seller often insists on shipping that way. Of course, the expense, sometimes 16 or more GBP, is absorbed by the buyer...me.

In any case, I can't tell you how many times I've received little or no tracking information. I've actually had mail shown to be issued a tracking number with no further information provided. Fortunately, in two weeks or so the package shows up in my post. I've been lucky. As far as signing for something...can't remember the last time any one came to my door and asked me to sign for a "tracked and signed" package. If I'm paying such high fees for the service I should get it.

Bruce

[Saikat]

Hi,
I suggest raise a complaint in the facebook page of Indian Post. Just write a comment on any recent post of the FB page. They usually responds and tracks.
Thanks,
Saikat

[CannedMeat]

I had a coin shipped from Pakistan in January, scanned once in Pakistan in March as "accepted", which arrived in my mailbox this month with no further scans. I would often get ten or more scans on a package like that, ending with "arrived at local post office", "out for delivery", and "delivered". But in this case no one scanned the package from Pakistan.

I've also had a few packages that get some scans and vanish, but those are rare.

[Pabitra]

India post has a separate complaint registration section

https://www.indiapost.gov.in/VAS/Pages/complaintregistration.aspx

In addition, sender can lodge a complaint with his postal administration.
They might be willing to pay compensation for lost article.

[Chatterjee_Soubhik]

-Update-

Hi all,

I had been trying to reach the India Post over telephone,and social media, however to no avail. I therefore mailed the Kolkata Foreign Post Office regarding the same. However, I received an answer today from them- "As per tracking the article was not received at this end, please lodge Complaint at India Post CRM Portal. Regards."  Following this & the advice from Pabitra in this thread, I made a complaint online through their portal. I really hope the matter gets resolved & I receive my coins safely.
I'll keep on updating on the situation.

with hope,
Soubhik.

[brandm24]

Thanks for keeping in touch, Soubhik. I hope it all works out in the end.

Bruce

[idiotghost]

So in December 2020, a letter containing coins was laying eggs at the Ahmedabad customs/post office for a month & tracking had gone cold! They finally sent me a speed post letter asking me to contact an email on it, declaring the value of my package! They charged me separately Rs 30 for this letter, asking me to contact their email, inspite of my email id already mentioned on the package! They could have sent me an email directly (or call me, my phone no. was there too), but they didnt! The approx value of the coins was also mentioned on the package, but they still wanted to me declare it in email again!

On calling their helpline no, the customs person assured me that the package hasnt been opened (which was a total lie when I received a bandaged & cello taped letter & damaged contents inside) & I had to mention a price for coins which were hardly of any value (most were old coins, not in use currently). I was charged Rs 230 for a package value of Rs 200 declared! The customs rates are around 75-80% on declared value & then are other penalties for the package stuck with them (even if they dont contact you, they will charge you a penalty/day)!

Basically, they want customs duty on your package & they will not let it go, till you declare some amount & they charge you a hefty bill on it!

[Figleaf]

Usually, parliamentarians have specialties, because they prepare plenary sessions of parliament in parliamentary subcommittees. There is bound to be a parliamentary subcommittee that is responsible for postal affairs in India. It may be government parties only, opposition only (in that case there will be two committees) or, more likely, mixed.

Step one would be to find out who is in the committee. This is likely to be public information. Step two is to investigate the background of the members to rank them according to the likelihood they will act on your complaints. Step three is to collect a few complaints. You can use WoC for that. Put them in writing, keep them polite and collect written evidence. It would help to keep them numismatics related. Step four is to approach a member of the committee, preferably in a person-to-person meeting near election time.

This approach does not guarantee results. However, it is guaranteed to give better results than complaining on WoC.

Peter

[saupandya]

the foreign PO asks for invoice of contents purchased, proof of payment (credit card entry/paypal etc) and list of items. based on this they charge 40% customs duty on coins or stamps. All arguments fall on deaf ears. So for a parcel where you have payed about 10k, you end up paying another 4-5K in customs. However, not all parcels are checked. Usually tracked parcels from US go through easy. UK parcels often are opened. My opinion. One stamp parcel  from Netherland is still on its way to me since Oct 2020....