# Sending Shisha Flavours over to UK



## marc (Mar 10, 2008)

Hello,

Is there any customs or tax restrictions in sending shisha flavors i.e any where from 250-500grams to 5-10 kilos e.t.c exporting from Dubai to London / UK.

can i just fedex / TNT over?

thanks

marc


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

No idea, but why bother when you can but it in London anyway?

You'll find that many Arabic & Turkish stores stock it, esp in NE London and also loads around the Edgware Road.

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## M123 (Aug 14, 2009)

Hiya mate,

I am very familiar with this subject due to my love affair with all things shisha.

If UK customs work out what it is, you will be lumped with a ridiculous bill. It is more likely with big name couriers for it to be discovered.

My advice is as follows

a) send via normal post (if this exists here) and declare a very low value, and call it "mollasses" which is a major component of most shisha flavours (moassal/m3assal, is arabic for mollasses). There is also next to zero tax on it.

b) As per Elphaba's advice if these people live in London, they can go to queensway market (on queensway) which sells authentic Fakher flavours at around £15 quid for 250g which is a decent price for London. 

c) if you are doing it in bulk, (more than say 2-3kg) you are pretty likely to have customs check it out, and it works out cheaper for the recipient to actually reject the delivery and buy it local.

d) you can also take a fair amount in a suitcase on the way back ,and try your luck. probably a one in 20 chance of getting caught, but that's the risk you take.



e) there are some american websites which do plenty of different flavours, and they are pretty good at declaring what you tell them to (via email beforehand) and the prices aren't too bad for delivery to the uk. One I have used is Hookah, Hookahs, Shisha, and Hookah Accessories - HookahCompany.com (ignore the fact that our misguided American friends seem to bizarrely call the tobacco itself "shisha"). Note that the declared value must be very low (i.e. less than $35 dollars inc postage) and the label cannot say charcoal or tobacco or your recipient will likely get a hefty bill.

n.b. All this is simply theoretical advice, and I do not condone trying to avoid customs charges, and all scenarios are hypothetical


Hope this helps.


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## marc (Mar 10, 2008)

Hi,

Yeah it seems more trouble then its worth, my friends in London don't want to buy it in London because its much much cheaper out here...


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