Bike taken by Customs in Lima, Peru. HELP?!

I did some internet research and found easily information about your problem. You bike has been impounded by SUNAT (the National Aduana) . They have a formal system of dealing with vehicles that have overstayed temporary importation. They also have a generous policy for vehicles that have overstayed because of injury or crash.

Here is the original SUNAT web page(machine translated) that explains the process:
http://www.microsofttranslator.com/...omsinformation/temporarycustodycar/index.html

They also have this page in English but with a bit less detail:
http://www.sunat.gob.pe/customsinformation/temporarycustodycar/index.html

Thee key line is this:
"If an accident happens, in which your vehicle is involved, the exit of your vehicle from the country shall be not enforced. The exit of your vehicle from the country shall be allowed upon opinion of customs authority without prejudice of the Treasury or your vehicle´s destruction at your expenses."

If you'd like to read the complete law and policy regarding what happened to your bike it is here (machine translated):
http://www.microsofttranslator.com/...peciales/vehiculos/procGeneral/inta-pg.16.htm

What to do? I am pretty sure someone gave you a receipt for the impoundment of the bike. That should explain where the bike went. There are two offices of SUNAT in Lima. Probably only one of them has a warehouse. That is where your bike should be. I think you could solve this problem fairly easily if you brought a spanish speaking or bilingual person with you. You should not delay, they have the authority to destroy the bike if they think it has been abandoned. There should be no reason to offer a bribe to anyone and these officials may take great insult if you offer. Play it straight, stay cool and friendly and ride away. You may need to get an extension on your temporary importation from the Peru auto club. Good Luck and Good riding.

Outstanding post, thank you for that information as Dean74's situation could easily happen to any of us and it is nice to know although there will be a bit of drama it is not fatal for the bike and your pocket.

"the opinion of the customs authority" was that my bike was not to be released.

Just because it's on the website, doesn't mean it really applies in a country as corrupt as Peru. Someone decides they want your bike... so they decide to keep it. Simple as that.

So in the end did you get your bike back or did I miss that bit?

I've just been through all the hoops related to (nearly) overstaying my temporary import permit here in Peru, and Dean74 is spot on.

His "moral of the story: don't overstay." is correct.
There is NO way to get an extension.
They WILL take your bike.
It WILL cost you the stated value of your bike to get it back, IF you can.

I crashed in Peru, breaking my collar bone making it impossible to ride out. After two months, and my 90 days about to expire, I spoke to THREE SUNAT offices. Three of them. The all told me there is no way to extend. One officer did know the ins and outs and he told me that:

Either the bike leaves before the 90 days, or it gets confiscated at the border or if you get pulled over and the cop reads your permit.

Once confiscated, you CAN get your bike back.... by paying whatever you stated as the value on your permit. Basically you can buy your bike back for what it would cost you to buy a new one.

THERE IS NO WAY TO GET AN EXTENSION TO YOUR TEMPORARY IMPORT PERMIT. Period.

You CAN get a suspension if you leave the country, but that is a massive fuck around involving dealing with the police. Any time you have to deal with the police here in Peru, just to have them do their jobs, you are in for a nightmare of wasted time and energy. And a guarantee of bribe requests. (Though I have heard the suspension process in Lima is not as bad)

I ended up having to do an 1100km border run less than a week out of my sling to avoid losing my bike. So happy ending I suppose.

Don't overstay in Peru.

Glad you got your bike back man!

Phil

We had zero problems in Peru and don't consider that Country to be run by corruption.

They are WAY BIG on human rights and personal freedom. WAY BIG....it's a real big deal.

We got stopped by the Carreteras Barranca after we crossed a double yellow in their view. We got told off and let go with a smile after we explained we didn't know shit or speak Spanish.

There is always a 'way'......always.........................

Really WAY BIG on human rights. Really ?
http://www.amnesty.org/en/region/peru

Not perfect................................

You had a special, somehow sheltered, experience.
Peru IS overrun by corruption. Talk to any peruvian family about their thoughts on the police and the government and their experience dealing with either. Sad state of affairs here in that regard.

We concur having seen it first hand and knowing of others (note Wump) who have dealt with "the system".

Takes the shine off the place for sure.

The Tuckers where in such a hurry on time and budget they where not able to see much of the "real" Peru. Going fast does have its disadvantages.

and advantages......we don't all have unlimited time....and money...we did our best with the time and money we had.

at least we rode from home to Ushuaia.....went so fast it was a piece of cake.

I can't understand complaining about a Country that is not your own.....it's just reality

Yes, we lead a very sheltered life.......always have...special treatment too....

Left Uk in 1981 with so much money I didn't know what to do with it when I landed in Los Angeles..........:eek1

At one time I was down to 50c, one used car on my car lot and walking to and from home to the lot because I had no money for gas...and was two months behind on my property payment.......

it's like being wrapped in cotton balls......only different................

Peru is what you make it, like any other place....if you don't like why did you go? If you hear bad things don't go..if you live there and don't like it move.........I'd walk out of there if I didn't like it......

The govermment in USA is easily as corrupt as many others in the World....don't kid your self....................just live with it.................

How the fuck was our experience special and sheltered?

I talked to MANY Peruvian families...not all of them I talked to think the same.

Talk to a certain segment of US families about their thoughts on police and the government and their experience with either. Sad state of affairs here (USA) in that regard.

USA is overrun by corruption, so what...it's reality........it's as old as the hills.

Thanks for bursting our bubble, we are devastated

Perhaps you had a not so special, unsheltered experience? Everyone's mileage varies.

Your posts are changing so fast I can't read them all. The jist of it is oeople who havestayed in Peru for nearly 90 days time not those riding the PanAm like their asses are on fire getting down to the tip.

I rode Peru like my ass was on fire, and I Still had trouble with the police. People I've spoken to recently from Peru tell me it's the same, or worse now.

I know you did Max and you didn't stay in Peru for two months or more hanging out either like the other two main characters of this thread aka "wounded riders with bikes nearly or overstaying their TVIP"

IIRC you where lookking for the fast straigt to tdf threads a while back, you should read up on tuckers go to tdf it is perfect reading.

I hope one day I can come close to dealing with this problem in Peru, some of the best Andes riding in all of SA

IIRC, I had planned on having more time, but between drowning my bike in Panama, and then having to return to the US to deal with a frozen house and replacing all the plumbing, I ended up losing almost two months. I had wanted to ride the Peru mountains, but when I got there, tons of roads were closed due to landslides from unusually huge rains. Since I couldn't ride the mountains north of Lima, I was forced to take the coast road. Meanwhile, it was starting to snow on Tierra del Fuego, and I had to hustle to get there before the whole fucking island was frozen-in. A few guys had to ride through ice and snow to get out. I managed to find a weather window, and I had to hustle to get through it.

If I was doing it again, I'd take more time in Colombia, not Peru. Or I'd zig to Venezuela, then zag back through Colombia.