Anyone else receive a Notice of Seizure via certified mail?

[Texansgal]

Hi, what did customs identify your peptides as? It should be on the previous page I think.

I had retatrutide seized end of March in Chicago but just got a letter this week through normal mail. They identified the 600 mg of Retatrutide as over 200 grams of HGH with a value over $6,300 USD.

They apparently don't care about flat out lying or making any attempt to verify their own claims. If it was just seized as Reta I would not care as much but HGH is more serious. The end of my letter has two lines saying if you are liable for a civil penalty it will be attached or mailed shortly. Customs also sent a certified letter that I have not received yet. I am concerned they are going to try to fine or charge me in some way on these bogus claims.

I'm trying to see if other people have also had their items identified as something more serious and received a certified letter with intent to fine and what they have done. Thanks

That’s what they said Tirz was. Ugh! It was over $10,000! Craziness!

 

[Calm Logic]

@Texansgal Did your vendor attempt a reship yet?

 

[Kappa]

To update - the 2nd letter I received via certified mail, which was referenced in the first letter was actually identical to the first letter. It was the same packet of several pages with the multiple options you can choose. I can only speculate why even bother sending this via certified mail in addition to the first one as typically in the past I have not heard of this practice.

Also a word of caution. I know there are many anecdotes of people ordering things like HGH & steroids, having them seized multiple times, and no issue but some thoughts on why things might be different in the future if only temporarily.

Pharma knows Chinese UGL is undercutting their business and does not like it. They've already pressured the govt to shutdown compounding so the govt has a wealthy supporter pressuring to target peptides. This goes hand in hand with targeting China for various issues including trade and fent / synthetic drug manufacturing. It may be in the interest of the current administration to start producing not just seizures but charges to support their argument that can be waved about in the media. Legal representation for a federal trial can cost 10's of thousands easily and best case you come out clean.

 

[Calm Logic]

Even for HGH and steroids, possession would be a minor offense compared to distribution. On the FDA's website, the only criminal cases I see are of in-person distribution (to a number of people) and shipping to a lot of people.

 

[AndyPanda]

To update - the 2nd letter I received via certified mail, which was referenced in the first letter was actually identical to the first letter. It was the same packet of several pages with the multiple options you can choose. I can only speculate why even bother sending this via certified mail in addition to the first one as typically in the past I have not heard of this practice.

Also a word of caution. I know there are many anecdotes of people ordering things like HGH & steroids, having them seized multiple times, and no issue but some thoughts on why things might be different in the future if only temporarily.

Pharma knows Chinese UGL is undercutting their business and does not like it. They've already pressured the govt to shutdown compounding so the govt has a wealthy supporter pressuring to target peptides. This goes hand in hand with targeting China for various issues including trade and fent / synthetic drug manufacturing. It may be in the interest of the current administration to start producing not just seizures but charges to support their argument that can be waved about in the media. Legal representation for a federal trial can cost 10's of thousands easily and best case you come out clean.

I retired from Federal Law Enforcement less than 10 years ago. I can assure you that the US government does not have the resources to prosecute people who are purchasing small amounts of non-controlled substances, like GLP-1s and HGH. They have to focus on things that have greater impacts on Public Safety and they generally base decisions to prosecute on the quantity, scale of activity and the potential harm the substance can cause. Then they still have the burden of proof. Investigations and prosecutions are very expensive.

If you are ordering a kit of Tirzepatide, you are not much of a threat to society. Even if you are ordering a cycle or two worth of anabolics, which are a Schedule III drug, they are not all that concerned. Hell, I know Cops and Agents to this very day that take steroids. Now, if you order anabolics and share them with your buddy at the gym you have a whole other problem.

I would say that if something is not covered by the Controlled Substance Act then the only thing you need to really worry about is losing your investment. If you are dumb enough to get involved in distribution, then shame on you.

 

[Calm Logic]

Regarding peptides, an example of the scale of prosecuted distribution:

https://www.dea.gov/press-releases/2013/04/01/illinois-man-charged-pennsylvania-illegally-distributing-peptides

During the period from January 2010 until January 2011, Higdon allegedly paid $131,472.50 to acquire the substances from suppliers in the People’s Republic of China; and he thereafter sold the peptides for $397,662. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 on the mail fraud count; three years in prison and a fine of $250,000 on the misbranding count; and 20 years in prison and a fine of $500,000 on the money laundering count.

 

[AndyPanda]

Regarding peptides, an example of the scale of prosecuted distribution:

https://www.dea.gov/press-releases/2013/04/01/illinois-man-charged-pennsylvania-illegally-distributing-peptides

I looked up the disposition on this. He received 3 years probation and 100 hours of community service. That’s not too bad for making $266k profit in a single year. It mentioned nothing about any restitution.

 

[Calm Logic]

There's also the possibility of having to watch TV at home:

Owner of Bodybuilding Drug Companies Sentenced for Selling Misbranded Drugs

www.justice.gov

U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel sentenced Gavin Burns Smith, age 45, of New Port Richey, Florida, today to six months of home confinement followed by three years of probation for selling peptides to bodybuilders which were not approved by the FDA for human use. Judge Hazel also entered an order requiring Smith to forfeit $2,102,684.06, the value of the misbranded drugs subject to seizure.

 

[AndyPanda]

There's also the possibility of having to watch TV at home:

Owner of Bodybuilding Drug Companies Sentenced for Selling Misbranded Drugs

www.justice.gov

Wow. He had to forfeit all of that money!

 

[Calm Logic]

He was already 45 years old. As we know, by that age, you really have only basic needs except nursing care