Attorney
Specializes in protection of honor and dignity, of copyrights, inventions, patents, trademarks, support of tenders, protection of consumer rights, disputes with insurance companies, legal support in cases of administrative offenses.
Seizure of goods at customs
Seizure of goods at customs most often occurs in cases of violation of customs regulations.
Temporary and forced seizure of goods transported across the border from a citizen is allowed only on the grounds specified in the Customs Code of Ukraine (Article 511).
The seizure of specific property occurs in cases of application of such a mandatory measure as confiscation. There is such a tool mainly to ensure the legality, transparency and efficiency of customs control.

When is it allowed to seize goods at customs?
Seizure of goods is allowed in cases where:
- they are evidence in the case of violation of customs legislation;
- their confiscation is envisaged for such actions as exceeding the period of transit transportation of goods, non-declaration, sending prohibited goods across the customs border, movement of goods in violation of intellectual property rights, movement outside customs control and other offenses;
- it is necessary to ensure the collection of a fine from a person who does not have a permanent place of residence in Ukraine.
It is important to know! In addition to direct goods, personal (commercial) vehicles are also subject to temporary seizure by customs.
On the basis of what documents can goods be seized at customs?
A citizen must be provided with either a protocol drawn up by a customs authority or a court decision that has entered into force.
The goods are transferred to the customs, in the area of activity of which they were temporarily seized, or to the customs, which conducts proceedings in the case of violation of customs regulations.
For more detailed information, we also recommend ordering a consultation with our professional customs lawyer.
What is the further fate of the property after seizure?
The property seized by the customs authorities goes through several stages.
Below we will explore each of them in more detail:
- First, storage. Goods are stored in warehouses of customs authorities under customs control until the final decision is made;
- secondly, the adoption of a decision of the customs authority or court. The seized goods can be returned to their owners, but this will also require full customs clearance, reimbursement of storage costs and other mandatory customs payments;
- thirdly, confiscation of goods. This happens after the court decision is made and according to the rules defined in the Law of Ukraine “On Enforcement Proceedings”;
- fourthly, the transfer of confiscated property (goods, vehicles) to the ownership of the state (in some cases). This stage occurs if the confiscation of property did not relate to the exercise of the rights of third parties (for example, in the case of intellectual property rights) and through the sale of goods at electronic auctions on Prozorro.
What to do if your goods are seized due to customs violations at customs?
The process of returning seized property is multi-step and requires attention to detail. First of all, it is necessary to appeal against such a temporary seizure of goods by filing a complaint against the actions of customs to a higher authority — the State Customs Service.
If the State Migration Service does not cancel such a seizure, then you must immediately go to court.
It is worth emphasizing that even after the court makes a decision to satisfy your claim, you will still need to reimburse the customs for the costs of storing the seized goods (except for those situations when the court recognized the absence of an administrative offense).
After the completion of the consideration of the case and the entry into force of the court decision, you can go to customs, write an appeal and wait for the temporarily seized goods to be sent to you at the specified address.
Important! It is advisable not to waste too much time, since the storage period of the seized property is 90 days from the date of issuance of the relevant protocol.
If you do not apply to customs during this time, then the goods will be subject to sale, free transfer. At the same time, the customs authority will notify you about this 15 days before the end of the period.

How can a customs lawyer of Prikhodko & Partners Law Firm help?
Prikhodko & Partners Law Firm has been providing services in the field of customs regulation for several years. We offer comprehensive support in cases related to the return of temporarily seized goods from customs.
Customs lawyers, having the necessary knowledge and experience, effectively protect the interests of our clients.
In their work, they use an integrated approach, accompanying the person at each stage of the procedure, in particular by:
- consulting support;
- personal participation in the consideration of the case of violation of customs regulations;
- appealing the fact of temporary seizure of goods to the customs authority or court;
- assistance in the timely return of seized property from the customs warehouse;
- control over the execution of a court decision;
- resolution of other disputes that may arise in the future.
Contacting our lawyer will allow you to minimize risks, speed up the process of returning the seized goods and protect your rights.
To find out the cost of legal support, fill out the form below.
Calculate the cost of services
1 question
Have you received a customs violation report?
2 question
Customs imposed a fine of 100% of the value of the goods and ordered confiscation?
3 question
Do you need legal assistance to protect your interests?
call back
during the day
Compensation for moral, material damage
Protection of honour, dignity, and business reputationContract Development for Business and Legal Entities
Licensing of business activities
Compensation for moral, material damage
Legal services in the field of cryptocurrency and blockchain
REGISTRATION OF COMPANIES AND OPENING OF BANK ACCOUNTS
Sale and purchase of ready-made firms
Grants and attracting investment
Business registration and support in Great Britain
Business registration and support in Switzerland
Business registration and support in the EU
Business Registration and Support in the Gulf Countries (GCC)
Business registration and support in Turkey
Business registration and support in USA
Lawyer for administrative cases
Legal services for medical businesses and doctors
Protection of honour, dignity, and business reputation
Real estate transaction support
Escort of the tender participant
Trial lawyer: support and defense in court
European Court of Human Rights (ECHR)