Is there really a CBSA blacklist?
 

Is there really a CBSA blacklist if they capture and reject something that is shipped to you? A friend in Hong Kong is sending me a box of old things and I forgot to tell him not to include some old restricted parts that he might have thrown in there.

I know that there is a blacklist for international customs through airports in which you will be flagged and they will always check your luggage - but is there such a thing for things potentially arriving by mail? I know many people have recieved the letters that said that customs were not releasing restricted items, etc. but is there something like a blacklist I should be worried about if something is sent to me?

From what I have been told. If you are caught by CBSA importing restricted items, your future parcels(most, if not all) that you receive will be put under more scrutiny. This possibly means mandatory or more frequent inspections on your items.

From what I've heard from some people who got tagged trying to import stuff in the past, future parcels do get additional attention from Customs.

There also seems to be a "sender blacklist", i.e., certain points of origin (such as HK retailers) which are known to supply controlled items, and which receive particular attention regardless of whom the importer is.

If there is a blacklist. I think you would have to come to their attention a lot or get caught importing something serious like banned real steel parts. I have had a couple things seized. I haven't had all my packages checked since by cbsa. They haven't even checked them more frequently.
It could just be a false rumor like the Canada post doesn't ship firearms or replicas rumor. I always like to see something in official writing before I believe it. I am too lazy to try and look it up though!!

I have a freind that have actually try to import his own metla body and it got sized by customs. And he order somes other parts from UNc and From the States and the shipping process never took more than the normal delay.

He paied for 3 days shipping and got it in time and the tracking number never show that the pakage was on hold.

I think that there's is a list some were but not for the you and me trying to import 1 or 2 items. Just immagine howmany people woud be on that list !

CBSA cant afford to pay all the personnel required to check on regular mail and not delay the process at all.

I too, am curious about this supposed list. How does it work? It does sounds pretty rumoury....as whenever you are put on an offical government list they are to notify you, no?

The specifics of it just don't seem logical. Exactly what is blacklisted? Your name in full? Your address? Addresses can change.

I have siblings too. What of them? The only difference would be the first name.... So the list would start flagging them too? That kind of infinges on their freedom just because I tried to import some risky things. And if it's not that specific, the list is moot because I'll just slap my 12 year old brother's name on the package instead....

Phil_Black makes a good point too. Most of the stuff seized is probably going to people who didn't really know it couldn't be imported and just thought it was trivial stuff. The list would be quite lengthy and if everyone on it was to always be checked, their would be no time to check anything else.

There should only be a list for people caught importing serious drugs, serious weapons and truck loads of dead Taiwanese prostituites with hollowed out chest cavities filled with drugs and guns.

Well, I know you get backlisted if you try to bring something on your person/vehicle at a border crossing.

There is a blacklist. It will make your future international travels hell so don't get caught!!!

Yes I heard about that too when I was at Niagara. But that time I did not know anything of Airsoft, I was just going to buy clothes.

By something, I mean something your not suppose to bring in. Clothes and shit all they do is make you pay money on. If you bring in something like a receiver/gbb and try to hide it (airsoft), your neck is going to be up in shit and you will have a headache every time you you cross the border. That includes if said person is in your vehicle. Thus why I make my friend go in his own vehicle when we cross the border.

Yes, CBSA blacklist exists.

Yes, CBSA watches ASC. *politely waves at CBSA agent*

Imagine you were worked for CBSA and your job was to monitor ASC and you actually liked airsoft. What a sweet deal that would be...

But yes on to Saint's point. It is well known that there are AV'd CBSA personnel on ASC.

I would not call it a blacklist, but, you become a 'person of interest' and you and/or your address and shippers are flagged for future scrutiny. Think about it for a sec, why would they NOT keep a list of people who've tried to ship or have shipped proscribed items in the mail? If I was in charge of the system and responsible for interception, you can be sure I'd do it. It would make my job easier.

I never really doubted there is a cbsa list of persons of interest. I just wonder what exactly you would have to do to get on it.

Just by posting this thread you're on it. The black helicopters flying over your house belong to the CBSA.

You know what would be more hilarious?

If the CBSA just took a list down of all the AV'd people ... tracked our IPs figured out who we were and just stuck us ALL on the black list :P

WOULDN'T THAT BE ALOT EASIER!? lol

Thanks alot, dumbass!! :mad:

Just kidding. :D

lol, that would be an awful deal - you would be actively participating in the restriction of a hobby you enjoy.

It would be like someone that loved weed working for the DEA (assuming he wasn't completely crooked :P )

May I ask why we have age verified CBSA personell on here?....if we do.

I know we don't want to appear to hide anything but still....if they're just out to tear down our evil naughty hobby of responsibley playing with toy guns in good fun, like aren't we just bending over?

If anything, they should have a list of AV'd active members with a clean history and let them import airsoft stuff.

It's just so....ridiculous, that we are hammered the way we are for simply playing a game in good fun. Like really, this community is of no danger to anyone. We do our own thing. I know there's shit heads out there loking to get on here, but we seem to be able to weed them out more efficiently than ever.

Again though, the blacklist must be huge by now....how do they get around to checking any of the non-blacklisters?

It might be computer controlled, where if no packages are flagged by their blacklist computer in like...an hour they go "Ok..We're bored, let's rip open some packages!"

Although yeah, I must say that air soft gun prices in Canada and in the States make me sad.

If you're not a retailer than you don't have too much to worry about unless you're known to break the rules on a regular basis :P

It's their job to monitor the importation of controlled items into Canada, they have to enforce the law so they are on here :) But whatever's in the country is out of their interest unless the said items are showing up in the media being used in crimes, well than here comes the RCMP :D

I called up the CBSA office @ the airport here asking a few questions about controlled items, right after that a shipment I had from HK was inspected thoroughly and it cleared fine :)

You do know that you do, you don't know that you don't. Inquiries about employment is not part of age verification, nor is questioning the person about whether they are here to spy on us or not.

I think CBSA investigations are like any other human endeavor - they go after the easy pickings first. The easiest is to investigate those who's packages routinely come from certain destinations and from certain businesses. Beyond that I don't think they have time to play silly bugger on these forums.

Oh noes! The sky is falling!

I'm confused with the law a bit, there are some retailer in Canada still selling real steel and aluminum guns, how are they getting them in while other retailers can't? Is it because metal airsoft pistols are legal?

Some are legally imported with the proper paperwork and permits.(No you can't do it.) The rest you would have to use your imagination I guess. Launched over the border with a big elastic band maybe??

Long story short YES their is a Blacklist / watchlist.

I think I got black listed for buying a LIGHTER... it was no bigger then a $5 bill folded in half. Now I can't get anything from international sellers.
So far I have bought but not recieved.

-2 small chrome pistol lighters
-iphone screen cover
-iphone case
-2L hydration system
-Airsoft M4 Mag
-Magpul Sling

Been waiting over 2 months... NOTHING!! Is there a way to get off this BAN!?!?!?
I didn't even buy anything crazy.... a friggin lighter?! COME ON!

Is there a place/websight I can at least check to see if I'm on this "list"... Mabe I'm not and my mailman is a thief

Being on the list don't mean they will seize all your stuff... Only that they will open all your packages (and seize it if its illegal). My bro was put on the list and still order from the state. Never had anything legal seized...

@GWoolfrey

I'd suspect your mailman is a thief. the lighter might look like a pistol, but its clearly not the right size (i.e your example, tiny) so you won't get blacklisted for that. You'd also get a letter from CBSA telling you that said items have been seized.

Probably more a shady shop that anything.

I think what most likely happens is:

Computer automatically scans shapes for prohibited items. Your blacklisted address comes up and the agent carefully looks at the screen and declaration as it passes through. If he/she isnt satisfied, then the package is opened. If there is no prohibited item, then the package is let go. An automated system can store a whole lot of addresses and can automatically sort through. Not to mention, all the blacklisters dont order stuff everyday so the system isnt overloaded.

LOL your name is Koopa.. Means Poo

At the end of the day.. its a hobby, a sport, not life and death..
Its not worth making your life difficult over.. If you think it may get seized.. Don't buy it.
If you think it would put you on the blacklist.. don't buy it.. unless you look forward to rectal exams by CSBA agents..

fixed...

mmm I dunno but I would guess they randomly open containers, check all the container's load, and switch to another randomly selected container.
They probably select primarily loads from Asia, because from Europe it's very easy to get your parcel unchecked.
I don't think there is such a thing as a blacklist, but there's probably a file for each package that was stopped, with the recipient's name.

LApolicegear, and oneshottactical were fine for me
But anything my friends and I ever ordered from blackhawk was ALWAYS inspected by customs

And you do absolutely get flagged for bringing in restricted items. If it's not restricted your fine. If your caught bringing in something clearly illegal, they most definitely check every package coming your way for a certain period of time.
Buddy of mine had a desktop picture of himself playing airsoft on his laptop, they saw it at the airport and he got flagged for 5 years. Clear overreaction to nothing, but all his packages went through customs, all the time.
And I knew one of our old importers really well, and his CBSA profile had more flags than the united nations....

Ever think the possibility of a blacklist is actually more effective than the real list?

There is 100% certainly a black list.

This is information coming directly from one of my good friends who is a CBSA officer.

Well there you go, straight from the horse's mouth lol

You can tell certain HK retailer are blacklisted already
RSOV is a really good example
Redwolf Airsoft is another one
Ehobbyasia to some extent.

I've never imported illegal parts but I did import alot of stuff that misinformed CBSA would think it's illegal (Airsoft suppressor, GBB parts like Complete Lower Receiver parts kit and bolt carriers) I got my stuff open quite frequently, to the point even hose, tank regulator are even opened. The only times it didnt letter mails.

Sounds pretty tough for us lol. The CBSA sounds kinda like communists (no offense to anyone if they are left winged; im just reading my textbook cuz i have an exam tomorrow and communists came up in the reading :P ) cheers~

Good example of who's on the list is east coast airsoft. I wish evike was on the list too though. :p

If you're in the system for a previous seizure, that shows up at every point of entry, period. You then get pulled aside for some extra questions. The system for the land border is the same as for the airport. I had a few people that got flagged for stuff they did down in Sarnia. As for the mail, I assume that there is a similar system in place. If it's bad enough, they'll take notes...if you break the "take a note of this guy" threshold...unfortunately, I can't tell you exactly what would put you there (because I worked with passengers, not postal). Good luck!

I know this is pretty random but if you have time, read up on David Harvey. He's a pretty interesting guy IMO. (Yeah, I'm studying about him right now).

Godwins law prevails.... The CBSA is more like the Nazi's than anything. (I don't know if they are, I just wanted to get Godwins law out there)

Just one question though, why is RSOV on there? isn't the main bulk of their sales from accessories and not actual guns or lowers and stuff? I'm sure people have probably ordered that shit before but AFAIK their main sales are for mostly unrestricted stuff.

Also, does anyone know if places like Airsoftpark and similar sites (ie. DragonRed) are blacklisted? I know they have airsoft in their names so might bring up some flags but for the most part they sell unrestricted stuff.

Keep in mind the CBSA isn't only there to restrict airsoft stuff... that's a VERY SMALL part of their job lol