In Reply to: teddy bears for the orphanage posted by lynp on Thursday, 5. January 2006 at 06:20 Bali Time:
We have always taken 2nd hand clothes and a few bits and pieces and have never had any problems. But a friend of mine went up with a case of toiletry bags and bits and pieces from her pharmacy and was stopped and had a lot of trouble. The reason that they gave was that these items can be seen as importing for sale and they wanted to charge taxes on all these items. She was lucky enough to be able to contact a local charity from the airport and they came there with a letter that these are for donations and not for profit. Immigration were very nice about it and there was no under the counter hand out asked for or even suggested but they said that if this situation was reversed and she was trying to import this amount of the same items into Australia she would also be questioned as to if this was for business or personal use. I would suggest contacting the place that you are donating them to and get them to send you a letter to present at the airport incase you get stopped. As you say it would be a shame to have them all taken away or have to pay tax on something that you are doing out of the kindness of your hear.