On Thursday 03 October 2002 15:55, Eric Smith wrote:
   One needs to
consult with a customs broker, and there are many in
 business on both sides of the border. 
 For old equipment, the broker's fee will exceed the import duties you
 could expect to pay.  I've had people send me stuff from Canada, and
 later received outrageous bills from customs brokers, usually for
 around five times what I paid for the merchandise.  As far as I'm
 concerned, I have no established business relationship with these
 customs brokers. I did not expect the sender to use such a broker, and
 was not told that it would be done.  So I have never paid them. 
 
I tried this approach with UPS.   They sent me the bill after I'd already
given the goods away.
  They sent a few threatening letters and then I got one from a
collections agency.