For goods exported to the Middle East (centered on Saudi Arabia and the UAE), customs detention mainly stems from five core issues: declaration irregularities, lack of qualified certificates, prohibited and restricted items, incomplete documents, and non-compliant packaging and labeling. Among these, underdeclaration of value and the absence of mandatory certifications are the most high-risk pitfalls, directly impacting the efficiency of customs clearance.
1. Declaration Irregularities
This is the most common cause, as customs conducts extremely strict authenticity reviews. Behaviors such as underdeclaring value to evade taxes, inconsistent declared product names with actual goods, excessive deviations in declared quantity/weight from actuals, or falsely declaring commercial goods as personal use will all result in direct customs detention. In particular, for products like 3C-certified goods and cosmetics, any underdeclaration exceeding 30% is subject to mandatory inspection.
2. Lack of Qualified Certificates
This issue cannot be ignored. Most industrial products, cosmetics, and food products require mandatory certifications. The Saudi SASO certification and UAE ECAS certification are mandatory requirements; goods without these certifications will be detained directly. Meanwhile, counterfeit products or genuine products without brand authorization letters will also be detained due to the region's stringent intellectual property right protection regulations.
3. Prohibited and Restricted Items
Touching on prohibited or restricted items leads to immediate detention. Absolutely prohibited items such as pork, alcohol, and pornographic materials will be confiscated. For restricted items like medicines and precious metals, customs clearance cannot be completed without special permits.
4. Incomplete or Contradictory Documents
The absence of key documents such as commercial invoices and certificates of origin, or information contradictions within these documents, will cause detention.
5. Non-Compliant Packaging and Labeling
Goods without origin indication or Arabic labeling, or with non-compliant packaging, will also lead to customs detention and affect shipping efficiency.