neotilva
I had a discussion with a friend working in the local postal sorting office.
The mails at Foreign Post Offices pass through an automatic x-ray scanner and sorting system that filters out any letters containing metals. Tiny quantities of metals like staples and pins are of course ignored.
The postal officer will examine the x-ray images of the filtered out packages and decide to pass it or send it to the customs officer for further examination. Customs officer has the right to pass it or hold it till customs duty is paid. If not paid after multiple notices, they will hold for about a year (waiting for replies) and then they will destroy it. But they cant send it back to the shipper.
Incorrect information. All letters which hve anything inside other than documents are xrayed . Also seized are kept for many years pending reply and there is a process for disposing them which requires all coins to be valued. I have helped customs in this and know the process.
The original post is about writing to Indian authorities to allow coins to be sent abroad as part of a joing effort and not about duties etc.
