DHL to stop global shipments worth over $800 to US consumers

DHL to stop global shipments worth over $800 to US consumers

WASHINGTON, United States – Global shipping giant DHL will “temporarily” suspend the shipping of parcels worth more than $800 from businesses to individuals in the United States as of Monday, the company said, citing delays in US customs clearances.

“As a result of recent US Customs regulatory updates, we are experiencing multi-day transit delays to the US from any origin for shipments with a declared customs value exceeding USD 800,” DHL said in a statement.

President Donald Trump has launched a wide-ranging trade war since coming to office, threatening friend and foe alike with steep tariffs to address US trade deficits with individual countries.

READ: Trump ends tax exemption for low-value Chinese imports

As part of those changes, the government has also lowered the threshold at which parcels to individuals require formal entry processing by US Customs — down to $800 from $2,500 as of April 5.

“This change has caused a surge in formal customs clearances, which we are handling around the clock,” said DHL.

The company added that business-to-business shipments would not be affected by the suspension, “though they may also face delays.”

Trump’s government has taken particular aim at China, and earlier this month Washington closed a duty-free exemption for small parcels from that country, a move that appeared to be designed to target low-cost online retailers like Temu and Shein.