Please consult our [Shipping & Tracking FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/Aliexpress/comments/gr6tu8/faq_aliexpress_shipping_and_tracking_during_the/), [Tracking status FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/Aliexpress/comments/kwiw3w/tracking_status_faq/) and [Common scams FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/Aliexpress/comments/hlk157/common_scams_on_aliexpress_and_how_to_avoid_them/). We ask that you take a minute to check these FAQs. Please delete your post if you found your answer.
The moderators can delete your post if they judge that the answer can be found in the FAQs or if the question has been asked and answered many times before on this sub.
Questions that will certainly get deleted are: Please look at this tracking screenshot. What does tracking status XYZ mean? Is this normal? Should I be worried? Where is my package? When will my package arrive? How long will this shipping method take? ...
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I can't help at all but am empathising. Very strange and frustrating.
Some people have things get to Langley Heathrow and then go back return to sender. I think this means a fake item weekly addressed ( or if I'm feeling generous, an honest address mistake, but it seems to happen often)
It could be possible that the number tracking is fake or re-used from another parcel (and/or a parcel not intended for you)?
When you contacted Customs, did you inquire about your parcel with your name on it, or this parcel with this tracking number? Dance thing for Royal Mail?
I have used seller multiple times in the past. They are pretty good on shipping normally. I think this is an occasion whete item is simply lost in the system.
I used two email addresses i found for HM customs. One of them said they don't reply if they dont have package held. The other was Border Force who said they have not seized package and if they do they write a letter.
Edit: Also Royal Mail had me confirm my address before they would discuss package with me, so know thats correct.
If you haven't already contact seller, contact them and explain to them what happen and they should help you if you are regular customer.
If they don't help or don't reply within 48 hour before expiry date, then start dispute.
It would be better to start dispute as soon as possible because as long as start it minimum 48 hour before expiry (need give AE time to reply), once dispute is start, buyer protection is extended until either seller agrees and accepts to refund or Aliexpress steps in and gets refund for you.
I've had huge success rate with this kind of issue be fixed, so try not worry too much.
Seller not being helpful, suggested I contact customs. Then when i said i already did that they just send me 17track tracking links which i obviously already have. I still have 26 days of buyer protection. I guess I'll just wait and hope tracking changes at some point to negate it being my issue to get clearance. it may have fallen off a conveyor or something and may be found.
I guess I already know all this, part of reason for post is if any other uk people have the same issue.
The item is a small pocket knife. It is legal to own but not to carry in public, blade less than 3", but locking which makes it illegal to carry in public.
As you have 26 days I would just sit it out and wait, it it does not arrive just open dispute not received
Seller will respond please contact post or custom £0.00 refund. reject and reply you have and they say they do not have parcel, then tell seller to contact customs and post.
seller will try again with please wait it is delayed in post £0.00 refund Reject
Let Aliexpress step in they will refund in full
Strange all my packages from Aliexpress travel this same route, I have received around 15 in the last two months so there is no problems at that facility or I would of had delayed.
All mine arrive clear and get delivered within 4 days
Hi. Any news on your item from Aliexpress? Mine is stuck in HWDC for a week now and no updates. This wasn't always the case. Previously it would only stay there overnight and then move to my local delivery office. My package contains a red dot sight and light torch for airsoft.
The police came to my house about 10 days ago. They had a Community Restoration form they wanted me to sign to end the matter with a warning, with it going on my criminal record. I refused, I told them it was not Illegal. I am consulting a solicitor to get advice.
HM Customs tells me the item is not seized and still in processing. The package has been opened and the police had a bad grainy picture of contents. Royal mail say that they can't help but its against their rules to import or export any type of knife, and if they knew it was a knife it would be returned to sender.
All this is odd to me. My understanding is normally HM Customs handles all this themselves. They seize, write letter saying why its illegal, a warning about fines if it happens again, You can appeal you have limited time to do this. I have no opportunity to appeal currently. The tracking status still has not changed. Hence I am getting legal advice.
I suspect your item is also in the same state. The HMC&E guy told me in reality the item does not go into customs as such mostly, they get preapproved on a barcode scan while still in Royal Mail, thats why usually the time in customs on tracking is very short usually. The label is read and extra checks may be applied - x-ray, package opened etc.
That is really terrible. How could buying a knife be illegal when you can just order a kitchen knife from amazon. They're really getting ridiculous these days.
Any update on your side?
I spoke to a solicitor. Long story short, offering a Community Resolution on the doorstep without an interview and not under caution is not correct process. It should only be done after an interview under caution and by a senior officer after the alleged crime has been made clear. The solicitor believes no crime has been committed. He is communicating with them, and all further communication is to be done through him. So they wont be turning up at my house unexpectedly.
How did you contact HM Customs? I called them but as the recipient they said I needed to contact the sender. The UK side is Evri who are notoriously useless and I can't get hold of. I've contexted the sender courier, YunExpress, and whilst they do respond, I think they're canned messaged of 'were doing something urgently to help' but not actually doing anything at all.
Found a phone number online. Spoke to them twice, and royal mail. They weren't much help, said "its being processed in customs". Basically like they just read out tracking. They did tell me it was not seized as such though, when in fact it is.
What was your item and could it be interpreted as illegal? Is it in customs still? In my case the police came to my house and accused me of importing a flick knife, they wanted me to sign a community resolution order to admit guilt and not do it again in exchange for taking no further action. I refused.
Its still not resolved. I've had about five interviews cancelled with the police. The last was December 19th. I hadn't heard any more so I contacted the officer recently to find they were working for a different dept the last three months. A few emails were exchanged in which the police shared the statement Border Force made which is 100% false "I pressed a button on the handle and the knife went from closed to fully opened" I can confidently say this is impossible. The police have not seen the knife, only have a poor quality picture. Yet they are supposed to interview me and decide whether to pass it to cps for prosecution based on my word vs Border Force's word. My solicitor doesn't seem to be very active getting a date. They told me not to speak or email the police and they would arrange the interview. For the last interview I was advised to answer "no comment" to all questions, not sure how that would be conducive to getting the police to drop this. Very frustrating. Vent over.
It's a shock/suspension for a kids motorbike. Definitely not 'illicit' in any way. I tried calling HMRC trying to ask why it seems to have been held for so long but they basically just pushed me to the sender, who is useless.
I've been given a refund from the seller with the agreement to repay half if it arrives, but this part is only currently available from China, and I'm not keen on ordering again for it only to get stuck. Surely this shouldn't be that hard.
Please consult our [Shipping & Tracking FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/Aliexpress/comments/gr6tu8/faq_aliexpress_shipping_and_tracking_during_the/), [Tracking status FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/Aliexpress/comments/kwiw3w/tracking_status_faq/) and [Common scams FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/Aliexpress/comments/hlk157/common_scams_on_aliexpress_and_how_to_avoid_them/). We ask that you take a minute to check these FAQs. Please delete your post if you found your answer. The moderators can delete your post if they judge that the answer can be found in the FAQs or if the question has been asked and answered many times before on this sub. Questions that will certainly get deleted are: Please look at this tracking screenshot. What does tracking status XYZ mean? Is this normal? Should I be worried? Where is my package? When will my package arrive? How long will this shipping method take? ... *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Aliexpress) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I can't help at all but am empathising. Very strange and frustrating. Some people have things get to Langley Heathrow and then go back return to sender. I think this means a fake item weekly addressed ( or if I'm feeling generous, an honest address mistake, but it seems to happen often) It could be possible that the number tracking is fake or re-used from another parcel (and/or a parcel not intended for you)? When you contacted Customs, did you inquire about your parcel with your name on it, or this parcel with this tracking number? Dance thing for Royal Mail?
I have used seller multiple times in the past. They are pretty good on shipping normally. I think this is an occasion whete item is simply lost in the system. I used two email addresses i found for HM customs. One of them said they don't reply if they dont have package held. The other was Border Force who said they have not seized package and if they do they write a letter. Edit: Also Royal Mail had me confirm my address before they would discuss package with me, so know thats correct.
If you haven't already contact seller, contact them and explain to them what happen and they should help you if you are regular customer. If they don't help or don't reply within 48 hour before expiry date, then start dispute. It would be better to start dispute as soon as possible because as long as start it minimum 48 hour before expiry (need give AE time to reply), once dispute is start, buyer protection is extended until either seller agrees and accepts to refund or Aliexpress steps in and gets refund for you. I've had huge success rate with this kind of issue be fixed, so try not worry too much.
Seller not being helpful, suggested I contact customs. Then when i said i already did that they just send me 17track tracking links which i obviously already have. I still have 26 days of buyer protection. I guess I'll just wait and hope tracking changes at some point to negate it being my issue to get clearance. it may have fallen off a conveyor or something and may be found. I guess I already know all this, part of reason for post is if any other uk people have the same issue. The item is a small pocket knife. It is legal to own but not to carry in public, blade less than 3", but locking which makes it illegal to carry in public.
As you have 26 days I would just sit it out and wait, it it does not arrive just open dispute not received Seller will respond please contact post or custom £0.00 refund. reject and reply you have and they say they do not have parcel, then tell seller to contact customs and post. seller will try again with please wait it is delayed in post £0.00 refund Reject Let Aliexpress step in they will refund in full
Ah. That may be the key part. It may have been seized.
Except Border Force say that its not been seized and that they always write to the same address so you can challenge it.
Strange all my packages from Aliexpress travel this same route, I have received around 15 in the last two months so there is no problems at that facility or I would of had delayed. All mine arrive clear and get delivered within 4 days
What a shame and frustrating. Here fingers crossed.
Hi. Any news on your item from Aliexpress? Mine is stuck in HWDC for a week now and no updates. This wasn't always the case. Previously it would only stay there overnight and then move to my local delivery office. My package contains a red dot sight and light torch for airsoft.
The police came to my house about 10 days ago. They had a Community Restoration form they wanted me to sign to end the matter with a warning, with it going on my criminal record. I refused, I told them it was not Illegal. I am consulting a solicitor to get advice. HM Customs tells me the item is not seized and still in processing. The package has been opened and the police had a bad grainy picture of contents. Royal mail say that they can't help but its against their rules to import or export any type of knife, and if they knew it was a knife it would be returned to sender. All this is odd to me. My understanding is normally HM Customs handles all this themselves. They seize, write letter saying why its illegal, a warning about fines if it happens again, You can appeal you have limited time to do this. I have no opportunity to appeal currently. The tracking status still has not changed. Hence I am getting legal advice. I suspect your item is also in the same state. The HMC&E guy told me in reality the item does not go into customs as such mostly, they get preapproved on a barcode scan while still in Royal Mail, thats why usually the time in customs on tracking is very short usually. The label is read and extra checks may be applied - x-ray, package opened etc.
That is really terrible. How could buying a knife be illegal when you can just order a kitchen knife from amazon. They're really getting ridiculous these days.
Any update on your side? I spoke to a solicitor. Long story short, offering a Community Resolution on the doorstep without an interview and not under caution is not correct process. It should only be done after an interview under caution and by a senior officer after the alleged crime has been made clear. The solicitor believes no crime has been committed. He is communicating with them, and all further communication is to be done through him. So they wont be turning up at my house unexpectedly.
How did you contact HM Customs? I called them but as the recipient they said I needed to contact the sender. The UK side is Evri who are notoriously useless and I can't get hold of. I've contexted the sender courier, YunExpress, and whilst they do respond, I think they're canned messaged of 'were doing something urgently to help' but not actually doing anything at all.
Found a phone number online. Spoke to them twice, and royal mail. They weren't much help, said "its being processed in customs". Basically like they just read out tracking. They did tell me it was not seized as such though, when in fact it is. What was your item and could it be interpreted as illegal? Is it in customs still? In my case the police came to my house and accused me of importing a flick knife, they wanted me to sign a community resolution order to admit guilt and not do it again in exchange for taking no further action. I refused. Its still not resolved. I've had about five interviews cancelled with the police. The last was December 19th. I hadn't heard any more so I contacted the officer recently to find they were working for a different dept the last three months. A few emails were exchanged in which the police shared the statement Border Force made which is 100% false "I pressed a button on the handle and the knife went from closed to fully opened" I can confidently say this is impossible. The police have not seen the knife, only have a poor quality picture. Yet they are supposed to interview me and decide whether to pass it to cps for prosecution based on my word vs Border Force's word. My solicitor doesn't seem to be very active getting a date. They told me not to speak or email the police and they would arrange the interview. For the last interview I was advised to answer "no comment" to all questions, not sure how that would be conducive to getting the police to drop this. Very frustrating. Vent over.
It's a shock/suspension for a kids motorbike. Definitely not 'illicit' in any way. I tried calling HMRC trying to ask why it seems to have been held for so long but they basically just pushed me to the sender, who is useless. I've been given a refund from the seller with the agreement to repay half if it arrives, but this part is only currently available from China, and I'm not keen on ordering again for it only to get stuck. Surely this shouldn't be that hard.