Many shoppers have been surprised to learn the shipping and handling fee they paid did not cover Customs duties and other government-mandated fees, which sometimes amount to more than the price of the item, said James Michie, director of the service's media services.

The Customs Service issued a warning Dec. 4 to alert Christmas shoppers to take care before buying online from a foreign company.

When people buy direct from foreign companies and arrange for the products to be shipped to them, they become importers who may be subject to complex regulations, U.S. Customs Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly said.

The Customs Service enforces more than 600 federal laws and regulations for 60 different agencies.

"We want people to know what their responsibilities are," Michie said. "If you order it and it's already here, in many cases, it's too late."

Even Internet-savvy people may not be aware of the limits on international online shopping.

Many items can't be imported without a license or permit from the appropriate government agency, according to the Customs Service's Web site. Included in this category are prescription drugs, alcohol and tobacco products, birds, fish or animals, goods from embargoed countries, firearms and ammunition, cultural artifacts from certain nations, copyrighted materials (such as computer software), and food, plant and dairy products.

"That artisan cheese from Italy may be a snap to find and buy on the Internet, but the U.S. Customs Service could seize your purchase." according to the service's Web site.

Web sites advertising prescription drugs from Canada and Mexico are easy to find, but taking advantage of the offers to save money might get you in trouble with Customs, which enforces regulations of the Food and Drug Administration and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The Food and Drug Administration does allow U.S. residents to import for personal use a three-month supply of experimental drugs not available in this country when prescribed by a licensed physician. But the exception does not apply to drugs readily available here just because they may be less expensive across the border.

A person may decide that his or her FDA-approved heart medication is cheaper in Mexico and attempt to import the unapproved version of the drug from Mexico, according to the FDA. The FDA cannot assure that such products have been properly manufactured and are effective.

By importing drugs classified as controlled substances, such as Valium, you can also run afoul of the Drug Enforcement Administration, according to the FDA Web site.

Some items not otherwise restricted might be subject to quota limits if you buy in large enough quantities to suggest you may be planning to resell them, according to the Customs Web site. If the quota amount of a product has already been filled, your purchases must be warehoused, and you will be charged storage fees, or the product will be exported.

Smaller quantities of goods imported for "personal use" are generally not subject to quota limits. One exception to this rule are custom-made suits from Hong Kong, according to the Customs Web site.

Other items available for sale on foreign Web sites are forbidden in the United States and arranging for shipment into the country can make the importer liable for civil or criminal penalties.

By Karen Setze
To see more of the York Daily Record, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.ydr.com

(c) 2000, York Daily Record, Pa. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.