Big problem with customs in Lima - Help?
 

Hello All,
My bike has been detained by customs in Lima for 4 months now. Whenever i ask about it i am told it will be ready "next week". This has been the line since August so i am rapidly losing faith.

The problem is that it overstayed it's temporary import permit so was seized by customs. This happened because i broke my leg (tib/fib exposed compound fracture in dirty water in the amazon) and needed several operations to make sure i didn't lose the leg. By the time all that had been done and i arranged shipping the permit was expired by a week.

It might be that the process is very slow with miles of red tape, but it might also be that someone wants to steal my bike, (it's a KTM 950).

If anyone out there has a good contact in customs in Lima who could make some enquiries on my behalf to find out what's going on, and then let me know, that would be really helpful.

cheers,
Dino Martinello.
Donkey and the Mule - Home
www.motodino.net

Hi,

For me this sounds as if someone is waiting for some money...usuarly im also not a friend of bribing people but i think after waiting for so many months this is an emergency. I would not let them send me away but would try to find out who is the highest person in charge and than talk to him in his private office or so. Offer him a little christmas present US$50 for his wife if he can give you the bike and the extendet import permit now (par tu mujer).
In Peru its not possible to enter with a bike wich is not registered on your name but for 10 Dollars it was...

Good luck, Tobi

Motorcycle experience riding through Peru - Machu Picchu - part 3

custom agent
 

hola dino
why not go and ask a custom agent how much it would cost to get your bike out of customs.
they know excactly whom and how much to bribe.
if bribing is not acceptable for you,you have to go every day and try to keep friendly!! and get doctor certificates about the accident and pester them until they release your bike.
this is peru and in the end there is always a solution.
suerte hombre

thanks
 

Hi guys,
thanks for the replies, yes i know a bribe can go a long way, but i'm in australia so giving someone some money and knowing it will help is impossible from over here.

I have an agent already working on it, but have lost faith in him as he doesnt respond to email and if he ever does it's always the same story "next week"

that's why i'm hoping for a contact in customs who can give me a no billshit appraisal of what's happening.

cheers,

Dean.

what are you dreaming about
 

sorry mate
what do you think is going to happen with you being down under???
the agent will only ask for more money and not do nothing.
i lost a bike once in an accident in guinea.
see it this way you survived and the bike is lost.
what is money compared to your health???
all the best geri

thanks but...
 

Thanks all the same, but I'm not a complete idiot. If you can help I'd love to hear from you, but if you're just going to tell me I'm dreaming please don't bother.

I do plan to return to Peru soon, and having crossed more than 50 borders on that motorcycle in the past 3 years, i do realise a bribe will of course help things along too.

cheers,

Dean.

Hi Dean!

Sorry to hear about your crash...

We had problems with a DHL delivery in Peru. Not sure if this helps..
try to contact the BMW dealer in Lima they've been very nice and helpfull!
Maybe they can direct you somehow to the right office.

Hope you get the bike back! When are you coming back to SA??

Werner+Claudia from sunny Viedma

Hi Dean,

This will be a long shot, but, I will be in Peru in about 3 weeks. When I was last there I stayed at an hospedajea on the shore of Lake Titicaca with someone who works in customs in Lima.

I have not got his email address, but will try and get it in passing the hospedajea (run by his mother).

PM me and I will keep in touch to see what can be done.

As I say a long shot, but better than no shot.

Thanks for getting in touch, I'll pm you now.
Dean

returning in Jan / Feb
 

Hi Werner+Claudia,
thanks for the suggestion, I'm trying to get back there at the end of Jan or start of feb. I got some good news last night, and have now located the bike so all is not lost.

Now i just need to work out how to get a temporary import re issued...

for those with a strong stomach, this is what happens when you break a leg in the Amazon... and the mended leg pinned again by surgeons back in Australia.

http://www.motodino.net/wp-content/u.../12/my-leg.jpg

http://www.motodino.net/wp-content/u...g-with-pin.jpg

problem solved
 

have my bike back, via unconventional means.

anyone with the same problem pm me.

:)

Congratulations!!!

You didn't break in and liberate it, did you?

Such a message will make people curious.....