The problem is that govt officials occasionally make up their own rules and sometimes they get away with it, when people acquiesce. I used to deal with govt in my business, and sometimes they would ask for things that were not required by the regulations. I had to remind them that they couldn't just make up their own rules, and there were rules that they also needed to follow. So the law is "you're innocent until proven guilty". It's not "you're guilty until you can prove your innocence". So if you have cash you don't need to prove it's legally yours just because an official thought you had too much. They can ask you questions about where the money came from, but it's up to you as to how you answer. I think my first question would probably be, why are you asking this question, and what does it have to do with airline safety?
Agreed. And as the years unfold, you can guarantee things will not improve on this front. imo, when moving metals around, be prepared (i.e. paperwork, read the customs rules of the country you are entering, AND telephone them and ask) and absolutely tell the truth. And if necessary (I have had to do this) ask the customs fellow to go and please ask their senior staff, because many junior customs staff are (sadly) quite ignorant of the rules around metals. Never try and smuggle them while moving between countries. Many stackers on this forum have stated how they have done this and got away with it, but imo it is just not worth the risk.
its time to get your own metal stamps made, so your name is there lol, registered with the essay office
I agree with the cautions regarding overseas travel, but anglox_b was only asking about interstate travel and that's what I was referring to.
I know, but imo the same paperwork precautions still apply... again its unprepared vs prepared. What camp do you want to be? Call me a coward, but I prefer to be in the camp of the prepared. Anything like this (i.e. interstate travel, and customs staff attitudes) needs to be viewed within the larger perspective of prevailing world trends. For decades now the world has been gradually moving towards greater government oversight (and violence) into everything that we (the non-billionaire class) do. Civil forfeiture is now way out of control in the US. Unfortunately Australia tends to look up to america as an example of the "right way" to manage things. Covid 19 is hardening law-enforcement attitudes towards controlling the (non-billionaire) people, etc. In light of all this, and so much more, it makes more sense to live in the camp of the prepared, lest you meet up with a little tyrant at the airport, where news has come down to all staff (in the latest customs staff-meeting) that they have now been instructed to start "cracking down" on citizens who are "suspiciously" moving metals interstate - whether in Australia and any other multi-state country; e.g. India, US, etc. Just seize the precious metals until the possessor can prove (by filling out the requisite forms [in the right order]) that they are not the proceeds of crime... after all, this is how the (visionary) US does things - with their civil forfeiture laws... and it seems like a great way to go. The chances of this happening with frequency in the future are high, and do you wanna be first punk? (Clint Eastwood) Paranoid a little bit? Yes, maybe. But when you have built up a track record of accurately predicting many things (long in advance) which seem to bewilder so many folks (when the foreseen reality comes to pass), this kind of "paranoia" keeps you safe. How the heck did this happen? (they ask). And stupid governments (composed of the mediocre) that could not see 2 feet beyond their own nose, flail around like headless chickens attempting to cope with the crystallized reality. When you have this type of "intelligence" parading as government oversight, shit, you had better be living in the camp of the prepared.
a quick google for "precious metals smuggling" yields (on very first website checked):- "Since gold is usually used as a money laundering tool and a common way to transfer criminal proceeds, Customs is now pursuing investigations of the abovementioned cases in the aspects of syndicate smuggling and money laundering." Key words here: "Since gold is usually used as a money laundering tool..." In some ways, it is better than doing your money laundering in the casino The little guy can launder money like this, as can the criminal syndicate, and the cops know this. Little guys launder money by buying gold too
And so it starts... lets tighten up the movement of bullion into the country, and afterwards, we'll tighten up on the movement of bullion within the country. No surprises here... tweeted by the man 20 hrs ago. Is it true? Who knows... but it is believable. And just in case you forgot - "Orange man bad!"
When the last Shah of Persia fled Tehran in 1979, the weight of gold bullion in the hold shifted the COG (Center Of Gravity) on the Boeing 747-200B, supposedly the pilots could barely get the plane off the ground even with the throttles at their stops running the engines at emergency-max.
its on the wall of the ambassy https://iranprimer.usip.org/index.php/blog/2019/oct/30/inside-former-us-embassy-tehran
Could you elaborate on this a bit more? I recently bought a 2kg silver tea set and plan to take it out of the country as a gift. Will the customs official take it away? Or do I have to pay some export price?
If you bought it commercially ie retail and paid GST, you should be able to claim the GST back at the airport prior to departure. Just have the receipt with you and damn good map to find the GST Refund office....which last time I did this was hidden away. I assume you'll be carrying it gifted wrapped and with card...I suspect no issues with customs when you depart.
Travelling overseas you have to consider customs regulations at both ends. For Australia they're usually worried about what money you're leaving with and maybe live animals. And every country is looking at what your bringing in, such as boogie boards.
I did a $500 cash deposit to buy 1 bitcoin several years ago, the cashier asked me what it was for and I told her 'bitcoin' - she said 'oh isn't that overvalued?'
“Paperwork” internally is not needed. If any questions are asked, ask for a supervisor. X-ray shows them all the bad stuff.
We dont have any way to prove ownership in America. I've gotten a few reciepts over the years but nothing similar to a title to a car or anything like that, that would prove ownership. How would you ever prove ownership without a state recognized title to the metals? My reciepts are always the same style, could have been for cigs or beer or anything else. They dont even say it was for metals. The only reciepts that might work would be the ones from Apmex or the other online dealers with more detailed info. I've never seen any reason to keep them tho.