Parcel attacked by la Poste

[Chancer]

I will try and give an explanation, its not authoritive its an amalgamation of chatting with my postman pal; my own experiences at customs checks and what I think, please dont shoot the messenger and if I am a politicians dream muppet so be it.

The checks are unlikely to be carried out at your sorting office in France profonde but just because you live their does not put you above suspicion, that is where many ETA and other terrorist cells choose to conceal themselves. Can you remember the overkill when the CRS raided an innocent  hippy commune IIRC in a tiny village that was mistakenly suspected of harbouring activists that were triping out the SNCF catenarys, even urban terrorism is taken very very seriously in France.

The checks will most likely have been carried out at Roissy or one of the other main hubs into France, your parcels come from a country well known for harbouring and breeding terrorists, i am not surprised that little credence is given to any customs checks that may have been made their, in any case customs are concerned with stuff coming into a country not out of it.

They cannot clearly check every package so they use profiling, X ray and sniffer dog tests, again probably not on all the parcels that arrive, your parcels may have been highlighted by one of these tests, they are not infallible, when I was travelling the X ray machines operators always became alerted by my socks and pants, it was because they were stuffed very tight in a small drawtring sac and the image showed up as a similar density to explosives, it happened every time except when the operators were not paying attention.

As it has happened to several of your parcels there is always the other possibility that your household has come up on their radar or they may have a scrap of information (correct or incorrect) leading them to believe that someone is up to no good in your commune so they check any parcels coming from abroad.

[cooperlola]

As said above, Chessie, it is my experience that if a parcel has been opened deliberately by La Poste/Customs then you will have been advised when you got the parcel (as has happened to me - it was very obvious what had happened and there was a notification of this with the parcel.)

You can complain and ask for a refund.  All details and procedures are outlined here :

http://www.laposte.fr/layout/set/popup_footer/content/view/full/1007

(see item 6)

Like Quillan, I reckon it's a good idea to photograph damaged stuff before you open it (too late for you, Chessie, I know) so you have some evidence if you make a claim.

[Just Chris]

AndyH4, does that mean we all have to roll over and quiver in our boots, and suffer the indignity of ALL our private parcels and packets being unnecessarily rifled? Get real.

Words fail ME.

[woolybanana]

Customs and security people have an absolute right to investigate all post for any number of reasons. So, yes, you have to roll over and take it. this is part of integration into France and the Greater Europe!

[Mr Coeur de Lion]

Bet they didn't open your chicken farm flavoured duvet set wooly!

[woolybanana]

But that did not come via the post, but via a delightfully formed lady who drives the delivery van and who likes the dogs and looks as though she might if she was not in such a hurry!

[andyh4]

Chris'nJulie" said:

AndyH4, does that mean we all have to roll over and quiver in our boots, and suffer the indignity of ALL our private parcels and packets being unnecessarily rifled? Get real. Words fail ME

unquote

I don't believe that I ever suggested that ALL parcels were being openned - although it won't take much more for ALL parcels to be screened.  Already today they have announced a total segregation of parcel traffic and passenger traffic in aircraft.

 

You may not want to believe that this checking happens.  I can only say that from personal experience it does - although my examples were international parcels arriving in Germany.  Checked by (different?) German authorities on arrival and re-sealed with an appropriate label to indicate who had openned the package - German thoroughness.

 

So if you still want to believe it doesn't happen, there is nothing further I can say that is likely to convince you. 

But if you want to get really worried about the future and suffering indignity:

This last weekend IATA met to discuss new safety procedures as a result of the latest incidents.  The head of Iata said (and I paraphrase): 

We have to stop looking for bad objects and start seeking out bad people. (Hurrah)

We cannot keep restricting the amount of liquids that people take on planes (Hurrah) and we have to start profiling the passengers, nor can we contintue making passengers take their computers out each time they board a plane. (Hurrah)

 

So on the one hand we all rejoice because those silly and annoying checks will cease as will the concern on whether the deoderant spray is 100ml or 125ml or whether it all fits into a small jiffy bag, or whether pate/soft cheese is a liquid or a solid.  But think of the consequences of profiling all passsengers.  What does that tell you about the amount of data that must already be available on each and every one of us?

 

I used to be a strong proponent of the  "I have nothing to hide so they can collect all the information they need about me."  But the amount and type of data they would need to profile me makes me begin to be very worried about this move.

[Chancer]

[quote user="Chancer"]

The checks are unlikely to be carried out at your sorting office in France profonde but just because you live their does not put you above suspicion, that is where many ETA and other terrorist cells choose to conceal themselves. Can you remember the overkill when the CRS raided an innocent  hippy commune IIRC in a tiny village that was mistakenly suspected of harbouring activists that were tripping out the SNCF catenarys, even urban terrorism is taken very very seriously in France.

[/quote]

A bit worrying when one quotes oneself!

There was a good TV program on last night about the above, the village is called Carnac, I was wrong to use the words "mistakely" and "innocent" because despite the majority of people thinking that  the accused are still awaiting trial for the offences of I think "association avec malfaitence" and possesion of subversive material, a book which was if not still is available in the public libraries.

The French take terrorism very seriously even if it means little more than what I and my band of buddies did as children.

However burning pallets outside public buildings is quite acceptable [:P]

[chessie]

I've just sat back and watched this topic develop - wanted to see people's reaction - and it's split off into 2 directions...

Firstly, I was totally infuriated because my parcel had been slashed right open, and the contents could easily have been damaged.    What I was really furious about, though, was that there was NO explanation.

If the Posties or the Customs wish to rifle through my private parcels - which is really an invasion of privacy and I find pretty horrible  (but we don't seem to have any 'right to privacy' anymore)  -  OK if that is what happened then at least an explanation, or an apology, or a printed label stating that 'La Poste/Customs wanted to inspect parcel' - then that's something I'd have to accept.

It is the no explanation that infuriates me;   the feeling that it could have been anyone in the postal system - not an officially approved' search' by La Poste or Customs.....no b----y explanation as to why my parcel has been slashed.

I also liked the last post from someone who was an advocate of the 'I've nothing to hide' school of thought.    So all those of us who did not like the collection of data, and the Big Brother aspect of this;   who were accused of being paranoid - may we please now have an apology.    Even though we might be paranoid doesn't make us wrong - just able to look further ahead than some people !!!!

I've NEVER taken the line 'nothing to hide'.....but it doesn't give me any pleasure to say 'well - told you so'....even though I did !!!!

I really don't like the way society is going;   I don't like the fact that there are groups who cannot seem to live in peace and harmony and whose creed is to regard western society as the infidel only fit to steal from, to invade, and to kill....

And I really do worry about the future for my daughter and grand-daughter....the good times are over I'm afraid.

But I think those comments are 'off topic' - and maybe we shouldn't follow them up but start a new topic.   Keep to the la Poste problems on here.

If this parcel problem is widespread then maybe we ought to tackle la Post - at the top - and insist that if they are going to open our parcels, then the least they could do is to have the courtesy to let us know that it was la Poste that opened the parcel - and not some 'unspecified' nosy parker somewhere......

Chessie

[woolybanana]

Just out of interest, was the parcel in a standard siz box or was it a wrap and tape job?

[chessie]

Hiya woolly...

The very first time the Posties 'attacked' it was a large cardboard box, properly labeled, return address marked, securely taped and a UK GPO supplied box - so would have conformed to all regulations...

The top and sides were cut, the box opened, and then re-sealed with la Poste yellow sticky tape.

Since then, there have been several occasions when parcels - of any kind - have been 'attacked' or damaged.   Ordinary large envelopes will have their sides nibbled - and the contents looked at.

I've had a problem with an ordinary small box where the top had been tampered with.

The last parcel to be slashed was indeed a proper GPO plastic envelope type, that had been stuck with sellotape, the sender's address written, and the wording 'used item of clothing etc...' written very clearly on the parcel.

So what is going on ?    And if it is la Poste - why no flippin 'apology' or written explanation.

Until I have something formally in writing explaining why my parcels have been attacked, I will continue to think that someone who does not have the authority is just being b----y nosy....

But I do intend to follow this up because I've really had enough.

Chessie

[Chancer]

[quote user="chessie"]So what is going on ?    And if it is la Poste - why no flippin 'apology' or written explanation.

Until I have something formally in writing explaining why my parcels have been attacked, I will continue to think that someone who does not have the authority is just being b----y nosy....

But I do intend to follow this up because I've really had enough.

Chessie
[/quote]

I wish you luck but I dont reckon your chances.

To answer the question, "why no apology or explanation" its because this is France, they are La Poste who think can do whatever they wish and indeed they do.

Try finding a complaints procedure or department or even customer services [:(]