Containers - washing powder tested for drugs?!

[hopers7]

Hi all,

Just wondering what peoples experience was bringing food over, and other bits eg washing powder?

The reason I ask is because we norm buy in bulk so rather than leave stuff behind or give it away we thought we might as week stick it in, however, been told that can't take any food eg tinned food such as baked beans. We were also told it wasn't a good idea to bring our bulk buy washing powder because it's powder and they'd assume it's drugs, have to open it and charge us for testing it....I can see why but thought i'd ask!

Welcome your thoughts!

[escapedtonz]

Originally Posted by hopers7

Hi all,

Just wondering what peoples experience was bringing food over, and other bits eg washing powder?

The reason I ask is because we norm buy in bulk so rather than leave stuff behind or give it away we thought we might as week stick it in, however, been told that can't take any food eg tinned food such as baked beans. We were also told it wasn't a good idea to bring our bulk buy washing powder because it's powder and they'd assume it's drugs, have to open it and charge us for testing it....I can see why but thought i'd ask!

Welcome your thoughts!

We didn't bring any food with us in the container. Told we couldn't by our removals company so we just gave all our tins and jars away to family before we set off.
We didn't have any problem with washing powder, liquid, cleaning and bathroom stuff. We placed all these in two large clear plastic boxes which were then packaged. Removals men never mentioned there could be a risk with customs testing for drugs. Doubt it would have made any difference to us anyway. They were coming regardless as no restrictions on this kind of household stuff.
Filled the boxes with all sorts as furniture polish n all that jazz expensive here.

[escapedtonz]

Originally Posted by escapedtonz

We didn't bring any food with us in the container. Told we couldn't by our removals company so we just gave all our tins and jars away to family before we set off.
We didn't have any problem with washing powder, liquid, cleaning and bathroom stuff. We placed all these in two large clear plastic boxes which were then packaged. Removals men never mentioned there could be a risk with customs testing for drugs. Doubt it would have made any difference to us anyway. They were coming regardless as no restrictions on this kind of household stuff.
Filled the boxes with all sorts as furniture polish n all that jazz expensive here.

Oh and you can't ship aerosols whatsoever - nothing pressurised.

[walshdon]

Why not pressurised ? I am sure my stuff has deodorant in there, still on the sea at the min oops

[Weta]

Don't worry too much. Thankfully the gorillas they send to pack your stuff could not give a rats armhole what stuff you have, they don't check the contents of every bag, box or drawer to see what you have. Their only interest is in getting to the end of the day with your stufff out of the house and onto the container as quickly as possible, They will pack anything and everything that is not nailed to the floor.

[escapedtonz]

Originally Posted by walshdon

Why not pressurised ? I am sure my stuff has deodorant in there, still on the sea at the min oops

Yeah our removals company wouldn't let us have any aerosols in the container. Everything they packed was checked for them beforehand and all removed.
Not a safety issue if I remember correctly. It was just to prevent anything being covered in the pressurised contents and expensive items being ruined if a tin exploded. Apparently many explode due to the extreme temp changes that can go on inside a container on its route to the other side of the world.
So we wouldn't or couldn't then claim on the insurance ?

[topcat83]

Oh yes - extreme heat differences. A couple of friends of ours had problems with their TVs & electrical goods like computers when they arrived. Apparently it's all to do with exactly where your container is in the pile on the ship how much heat variation there will be. If they're in the middle of the stack they're better insulated so no large temp variations. But on the outside containers, in the beating sun then the cold nights, there can be a much larger variation. it can affect electrical goods.
Just a warning - it's one of the reasons for insurance.

[carosapien]

Originally Posted by hopers7

Hi all,

Just wondering what peoples experience was bringing food over, and other bits eg washing powder?

The reason I ask is because we norm buy in bulk so rather than leave stuff behind or give it away we thought we might as week stick it in, however, been told that can't take any food eg tinned food such as baked beans. We were also told it wasn't a good idea to bring our bulk buy washing powder because it's powder and they'd assume it's drugs, have to open it and charge us for testing it....I can see why but thought i'd ask!

Welcome your thoughts!

I've heard of people bringing food over, so long as it's unopened and isn't meat, milk, honey etc. though I do know people who've bought over gravy granules, herbs etc. If you think about it commercially containerised food arrives every day in New Zealand so it can't be that difficult to ship baked beans.

As for washing powder I don't think there will be a problem with it, if you have pallets of the stuff it may raise a few eyebrows though.

Electrical equipment is always a tricky one so don't buy anything new and then ship it as it won't be covered by warranties and your insurance may not cover you for electrical/mechanical failure - only damage.

[welshjohn369]

Cheese is also ok provided it is in it's packaging. I know my mother brought proper cheese over for me rather than the poor quality stuff over here. Real cheese is far to expensive.