'Stealth' seeds intercepted in Australia - resend to same address?

[Prawn Connery]

So I placed three orders with three different seed vendors: Seed Depot, Sea of Seeds and Seedsman (all in the UK).

Seed Depot's order arrived in seven days (over Easter - fastest shipping I've ever had). Interestingly, it was in a plain envelop - no stealth shipping.

SOS and Seedsman both offer guaranteed delivery and both suggest stealth options when ordering to Australia.

Neither order has arrived after five weeks. Both were tracked and both showed they arrived in Australia three-dour days after shipping from the UK. So they've obviously been intercepted by Customs.

Obviously Australian Customs are on to the old "stealth" shipping methods and it seems (from experience) that plain envelopes are best, as they tend to blend in with all the other mail. That is what I will be asking both vendors to do with my resend.

My question is this: has anyone lost seeds and then received a reorder to the same address?

The reason I ask is I have a fairly safe address where no-one grows or keeps anything incriminating. But if the address has been compromised, then there's probably no point getting the resend to the same address.

However, I believe Customs and Australia Post are separate entities, so I'm wondering if they (Customs) keep a note of the address or simply confiscate the package and that's it - luck of the draw.

So, has anyone used the same address and got lucky the second or third time around? Thanks.

 

[millie]

i order to australia from bonza seeds. Great stealth shipping...never had my shit intercepted.

 

[millie]

oh and i doubt customs pay that much attention to your address. It's not like your mail is under watch just because you tried to get a few seeds in.

 

[eastcoastmo]

Yeah as long as the address they're going too aren't where your growing I wouldnt stress about it. It sounds like it was a slow day at the customs warehouse they days your packages arrived and the whole shipment it was with got checked. Customs risk assess mail and if it's a slow day with not much mail they go through everything, other days they choose shipments randomly!

 

[Prawn Connery]

The address is safe. But that's why I'm interested in hearing from anyone who has had a successful resend to the same address, to ensure it's possible. Otherwise I'd rather try a different safe addy.

I'm also one of those who placed a recent order with Sea of Seeds, and my order never came through. Now I read their customer database was online, so I'm not exactly confident . . .

 

[Tazbud]

Can't help with that, I have had seeds from Rhino take 7/8 weeks. I thought they were gone for sure. No tracking i'm not sure what the hold up was... unless they never sent when they said they had.... A mate had similar with a dutch company. I'd go a different address if in a hurry.

 

[Prawn Connery]

No hurry, but both orders were large, so I really would like to receive them at some point.

 

[Prawn Connery]

OK, so one of my resends came through today. Looks like there's no trouble getting resends to the same address.

FYI for Aussie growers, it seems plain packaging is best, as most of the shipments that seem to be going missing are stealth. Someone obviously knows what they look like . . .

 

[ShazMo09]

Man I went Herbies with my order to Oz and the stealth was bloody amazing...It took me 5 mins or so to find it...If custooms wanted to thoroughly search it they would have had to destroy the package to find them

 

[Jimdamick]

OK, so one of my resends came through today. Looks like there's no trouble getting resends to the same address.

FYI for Aussie growers, it seems plain packaging is best, as most of the shipments that seem to be going missing are stealth. Someone obviously knows what they look like . . .

Have you ordered from Attitude lately? Bright pink wrapping for their T shirts, so don't bother ordering those. Get a wallet or order regular delivery.

 

[brotherjericho]

Man I went Herbies with my order to Oz and the stealth was bloody amazing...It took me 5 mins or so to find it...If custooms wanted to thoroughly search it they would have had to destroy the package to find them

Did you use regular or super stealth?

 

[whitnasty1]

Yeah, I would like to know if it was regular or super stealth as well.

 

[wahoo]

I just got an order resent to oz. I got the bulk of my order sent to vic stealth mode and the 1 pack sent regular mail to QLD. The regular mail package is being sent to the same address as the original order so we will see how it goes.

Peace

 

[Prawn Connery]

Man I went Herbies with my order to Oz and the stealth was bloody amazing...It took me 5 mins or so to find it...If custooms wanted to thoroughly search it they would have had to destroy the package to find them

Well, I obviously had two stealth shipments go missing and let's face it, if the dogs are on to it, or x-rays pick it up - both of which are used in Australia - Customs can find what they're looking for the same as you and I. It's not so much the "stealth" that matters, but being able to pass through the postal system unnoticed.

Have you ordered from Attitude lately? Bright pink wrapping for their T shirts, so don't bother ordering those. Get a wallet or order regular delivery.

Never ordered from Attitude - heard too many bad stories about . . . well, "attitude" when shipments go missing. Both Seedsman and Sea Of Seeds were nothing but polite when I told them what had happened, and Seedsman resent immediately after I suggested using plain packaging. I asked Sea of Seeds to hold off for a while until the other package came through (or not), but now that it has arrived, my SOS resend should be on its way also.

Apart from this experience, I've sent and received lots of seeds between international growers and we usually use plain envelopes - never fails. The only packages I've ever had go missing (three now) have all been "stealth" shipments that have included a bulky item that has obviously attracted attention.

 

[wahoo]

Great to hear you got your beans pawn. I'll Let everyone know when my regular package arrives in the letter box. The bulk of my order is in fact in Melbourne so hopefully that gets delivered on friday to my mates place, so he can then send it on to me.


Fingers crossed as my order was a fairly large one also.

Peace

 

[wahoo]

Just an update guy's. Stealth package was delivered this morning in vic, just waiting on the regular package now? Hopeful tomorrow or next week.

Peace

 

[ShazMo09]

Did you use regular or super stealth?

I used super stealth. Dont think it cost anymore extra. Serious though...This stealth was amazing...It was really witty and I had to break it to find them. Im gonna order some more in the next few weeks...

 

[Prawn Connery]

Just an update guy's. Stealth package was delivered this morning in vic, just waiting on the regular package now? Hopeful tomorrow or next week.

Peace

Good to hear. The lesson for me in all this is to send regular post. Of course, you don't get guaranteed shipping with regular post, so it's a bit of a Catch-22.

 

[Highhawyn!]

well hell, that ^^^^ is a nickname I have not seen in many moons. How you brah? I think I remember sending some to you a while back when PG was still up. lol these seedbanks with all the packaging shit, like you said, I have sent thousands upon thousands of seeds all over the world and all like how I was first taught, in little currogated plastic squares with bendable cardboard surrounding pack and in regular envelope. of course marketing for those guys is the deal lol. just wanted to say hell prawny, from us Hawaiian braddahs in da middle of da pacific. a hui hou

 

[Prawn Connery]

Hey dude! Yeah, I'm back on the boards. Took a little hiatus for a while after PG went down, as it was all a bit depressing, but thought I'd check in to see what everyone else was doing these days. Also starting to stock up on new strains, hence the necessary evil of ordering seeds online . . .

But you're spot on - the corrugated cardboard trick is how I've always sent seeds and encouraged others to send to me. Works every time - even to Australia and other places where Customs is on the ball.

How are things over your way? Seems like a few PG refugees have joined RIU . . . Didn't you used to be "happyhawyn" over there?