Prohibited & restricted items

This list forms part of our Terms & Conditions. It reflects international air and maritime safety rules, the requirements of the carriers we use, and Surinamese import law. Where they disagree, the strictest applies.

The five minutes you spend here are cheaper than a package that cannot leave the warehouse.

1. How to read this list

There are three tiers, and the difference matters:

• Never accepted — we cannot handle these at all, by any route. Do not have them sent to us.
• Sea freight only — safe on a ship, forbidden on an aircraft. Order these knowing they travel on the slower service.
• Declare first — we can ship these, but tell us before you buy so we can confirm the route, the paperwork and the cost.

This list is not exhaustive. Rules change, and carriers apply their own. If an item is not named here, that does not automatically make it acceptable.

2. Never accepted

We will not receive, store, consolidate or ship any of the following, and we will not buy them for you:

Weapons and explosives. Firearms, firearm parts and replicas, ammunition, gunpowder, fireworks, flares, explosives of any kind, and military or police equipment.

Drugs and controlled substances. Narcotics, cannabis and cannabis products including CBD oil, vape liquids containing controlled substances, and precursor chemicals.

Hazardous materials. Radioactive material, toxic or infectious substances, poisons, industrial corrosives and acids, mercury, asbestos, and compressed gas cylinders including scuba tanks and CO₂ canisters.

Living and once-living. Live animals, insects, human or animal remains, ashes, blood and biological samples, ivory, and any product of a protected species (CITES) — shells, skins, coral, taxidermy.

Money and documents. Cash, coins, bearer bonds, cheques, lottery tickets, and blank or completed identity documents and passports.

Illegal or infringing goods. Counterfeit goods and unlicensed replicas, pirated media and software, stolen property, pornography, and anything whose import into Suriname is prohibited by law.

Other. Loose or damaged lithium batteries, items with a leaking or swollen battery, and any package we cannot safely identify the contents of.

3. Sea freight only — never by air

These are dangerous goods under aviation rules. An aircraft will not carry them at any price, and a package containing one will be removed from an air shipment. They can usually travel by sea, on a longer transit.

Aerosols and pressurised containers. Spray paint, hairspray, deodorant sprays, insect repellent sprays, shaving foam, air fresheners, tyre inflators.

Flammable liquids and solids. Perfume and aftershave, nail polish and remover, alcohol-based sanitiser, lighter fluid, paint, thinners, solvent-based adhesives, matches and lighters.

Chemicals and cleaning products. Bleach, drain cleaner, pool chemicals, pesticides, fertiliser, and large quantities of household cleaner.

Engine and machine items. Petrol- or diesel-powered tools, generators, outboard motors, and any engine that has held fuel — the tank must be drained and purged, and some carriers still refuse it.

Magnets and certain electronics. Strong magnets, large power banks, and battery packs above the airline watt-hour limit.

4. Accepted, but declare it first

We can handle these, but not silently. Tell us through a pre-alert, or ask before you order, and we will confirm what is possible.

Devices with lithium batteries. Phones, laptops, tablets, cameras, e-bikes, scooters, power tools and power banks. Batteries installed in the device are usually fine by air within airline limits; spare loose batteries are not. Tell us before you buy so we can confirm the route.

Medicines and supplements. Prescription medication requires a prescription in your name and may require an import permit. Over-the-counter medicines and food supplements are usually accepted in personal quantities but are often inspected.

Food and drink. Sealed, shelf-stable, commercially packaged food is generally accepted. Perishables, fresh produce, meat and dairy are not. Seeds, plants and soil need a phytosanitary certificate.

Drones and radio equipment. Drones, transmitters and satellite equipment may need authorisation before import.

High-value goods. Jewellery, precious metals, watches and gemstones. Tell us in advance — standard liability limits are low, and additional cover must be arranged before the shipment leaves the warehouse.

Vehicles and vehicle parts. Cars, motorcycles, quads and boats, and used parts such as engines and gearboxes. These need documentation and a specific customs process.

Fragile, oversized or awkward goods. Glass, ceramics, televisions, mirrors, furniture and anything over 70 lb or longer than 4 ft in any dimension. We may need to repack or crate it, and some items travel at your risk.

5. Allowed, but customs will want its share

These are not restricted by us. They are simply where import duty surprises people, and you are the importer:

• Alcohol and tobacco — heavily taxed, quantity-limited and, in some cases, restricted to licensed importers.
• Commercial quantities of anything — several identical items reads as trade stock to customs, not personal use, whatever your intention.
• Goods with an understated invoice — customs may re-value them, and the duty is charged on their figure, not yours.

6. Rules that differ by route

The lists above are the general rules. Individual routes are stricter, because each agent, airline and shipping line applies its own:

Netherlands. Weapons, ammunition, medication, alcohol and cash are strictly forbidden on this route — including the medicines and supplements that are merely “declare first” elsewhere. You must also tell us before your goods arrive at the Den Haag address, or the shipment can be held there; submitting a pre-alert in your account does that for you.

China. When this lane opens it will be sea freight only. Hazardous goods will be able to travel, but at an additional charge per cubic metre, and must be declared before your supplier delivers — not after.

United States. Air-restricted goods can still travel on the ocean service. Choose the ocean name at checkout and the package is routed that way from the start.

7. If we find one of these

We inspect packages at intake, which is exactly when a prohibited item usually comes to light. If we find one:

• We hold the package and contact you the same working day.
• Where the item is air-restricted but otherwise legal, we will offer to move it to sea freight or return it to the retailer at your cost.
• Where the item is prohibited outright, we cannot ship it and we cannot return it if doing so would itself be unlawful. Some categories must be surrendered to the authorities, and in some cases reported.
• We cannot compensate you for goods seized, surrendered or destroyed for this reason, and storage continues to accrue while the matter is resolved.
• Any fine, penalty or cost caused to us or to a carrier is charged to your account.

Repeatedly sending prohibited goods is grounds for closing an account.

8. When you are not sure

Ask us before you buy, not after it arrives. Send the product link to info@surshipp.com, message us on +597 860-8047, or open a support ticket from your account. A one-line answer before you order costs nothing; a package we cannot ship costs you the item.