I know that this is not exactly travel/security related but it is in a remote way.

My friends here in Cyprus are reporting that the Post Offices are refusing to accept any mail to the US. First, the Post Office was requiring any package over 40g to be open so that it could be inspected (by the postal clerk, I assume) prior to posting it. Now they are refusing to accept any packages, letters, and postcards.

I contacted the US embassy in Nicosia to find out if this was another Cypriot quirk or a new rule in the USA. This is their response:

Unfortunately, it is true that the Post Office in Cyprus as well as many other European countries are not accepting packages over 40 grams until December 8, 2010 for security reasons. You can send a letter that weighs less than 40 grams or wait until December 9 to send your package.

They don't say why. And they also say that letters are ok but the Cypriot POs are saying no to letters too.

So, for some bizarre reason (out of an abundance of caution?) you have to wait until after 8 December to mail anything to the USA from certain places in Europe. What's with the magic date? I have found nothing anywhere that explains why this is being done and can only assume that DHS is the culprit.

I suspect that the real reason is that they don't want any foreign-origin mail on US-bound planes over Christmas.

But wait, it gets better. My friends were told to send the item they want to send to the US to someone in the UK and have that person send it to the US.

I wonder if DHL and other carriers are being prevented from sending anything to the US from overseas between now and 9 Dec.

I'm torn between being angry at the absudity to laughing hysterically.

This needs to make the news! US-bound mail from Europe ceased until 9 December

Wow I wonder what will happen on 12/9...

I was at the Post Office yesterday mailing a package (within Germany) and didn't see any signage, nor is there anything that I can see on the post website. However Deutsche Post is DHL so I don't think that they have necessarily the same limitations.

Someone posted something similar a few days ago - re Japan maybe? and I did some googling then and did see that some countries seem to have put restrictions in place.

There is no signage at the Post Offices in Cyprus regarding this. The clerks are just refusing the letters. The response from the clerks, when questioned, is "terrorists" accompanied by a shrug.

The thing that is so bizzarre if the Dec. 9 date. I believe that this is the cut-off date for mail to arrive by Christmas. So I guess there is concern about another bomb at Christmas. But New Year's is ok, as is Groundhog day or Valentine's Day. It's all just so laughable, in my opinion.

Australia Post website says that there is an additional A$9 "security surcharge" and delay of up to 48 hours for airmail packages over 453 grams and for ALL Express Courier or Express Post packages to the US.

just keep isolating yourselves America, soon people will avoid travel to the US, avoid sending letters/parcels to the US, how long before all those products you once made which are now made elsewhere cease being sent?

The worlds sheriff finding their town is slowly dieing...

And what does one get for the extra $9???

I'm tempted now to mail a parcel to the US on Monday just to hear if there are any restrictions (but again, the Deutsche Post/DHL situation may make it different than in other countries which have a more standard mail)

Not only that, but people will leave the USA for good. I have.

The Royal Mail Web site has this to say about mail to the US:

>>USA
Start Date: 3rd December 2010
End date:

Delays to mail sent to the USA

We recently increased our security measures for items sent to the United States in response to restrictions imposed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. As a result, some items containing goods, which would have travelled on passenger planes, can now only be sent via cargo aircraft.

We're sorry that this is causing delays to the delivery of items sent by air to the US and we anticipate that transit times may be extended by up to one week. The recent icy weather has also caused some delays.

To ensure your Christmas items reach the US in time, please use our airmail service and post early - no later than 10th December. For sending urgent items, we recommend our Airsure� service which is tracked to the point of delivery. Items posted after this date are unlikely to arrive in time for Christmas.

We are continuing to work to minimise disruption to our customers, whilst ensuring we comply fully with the directives and regulations required.>>

wg

This annoying trend in stricter small package/cargo screening is clearly hitting eBay buyers & sellers, especially items that are shipped from abroad. Vendors that I deal with from Asia issued alerts that 1 additional week of transit time is expected, due to custom clearing, screening & other unspecify measures in force now.

In the case of Hong Kong Post (Mail) - EVERYTHING via airmail, including express mail are subject to additional delays (screening)

http://www.hongkongpost.com/eng/publ...116a/index.htm

While no fan of the way TSA and DHS work at times. But did anyone stop and think that perhaps, just perhaps there might be a credible threat and that with all of the xmas mailing that perhaps, just perhaps, something is being shipped with nefarious intentions. And as such those in the know are trying to prevent it getting on board an airplane. Yeah sure it is a pain in the azz but perhaps better than the alternative.

Or perhaps on that date appropriate measures will be in place to adequately screen cargo coming into the USA that may again be nefarious and may come via cargo or on a commercial airliner.

My only other comment is that at least for once it sounds proactive rather than reactive???

Does it really cost $9 AUD to screen a package, and 48 hours worth of delay to do that? We pay a lot less for TSA to hassle us, and we're all carrying much more than most packages going to the US.

But hey, I feel safer.

Does the Unabomber and Anthrax mailings of 2001 ring a bell or two ?? I guess we've no choice but to "trust" the TSA to do their job?

Has the FBI gone back to chasing bad guys in white collar crimes only ?

I better screen our FedEx, UPS & DHL people making deliveries, especially the ones I dont' recognize as being on our regular daily routes - afterall, I reorder toners by mail for door-to-door delivery .... Rats, nevermind.

Funny, I still don't feel protected nor safer than before ....


Note - Emphasis is on "I" since I'm not going to trust them smurfs to do the right thing

Might not be such a bad idea.....

THe world will be much better once the U.S. passes the sheriff's badge to China.