Need good customs agent (despachante)

I sent a shipping container from England in 2020 then found I couldn't enter Uruguay during the pandemic. Finding an agent on the internet was impossible and someone put me in touch with MRM in Montevideo. That was a complete nightmare. The agent kept saying that nothing could be done until I entered the country but even when I eventually arrived, it took him 4 months to get the container released. I went to Customs some time in October 2021 and poke to two very helpful women who couldn't see a problem and advised getting another agent. There was also a hostile man at Customs who i couldn't understand but I suspect he was angling for a 'tip'. As a result of the visit, I went to migraciones and got a Certificado de Llageda which was a necessary piece of paper. About 3 weeks later, the agent sent an email with the news that the Certificado had been issued. The container was eventually released in January 2022 and incurred import duty of 60% on its cost and transport. There was also a guarantee needed, pending my permanent residency.

@Alexis Mandrake

Thank you Alexis for sharing your experience, which seems to have been a nightmare.

My goods arrived just before Christmas.

Based on the advice of a friend I had an adviser ("asesor") with me as replacing the custom broker ("despachante") of the moving company would have been very difficult.  They had me cornered.

The customs clearance was a horrible experience.  There are some rough necks called " tonelleros" which can and will break anything that your moving company has handled carefully.  One company seems to have the market cornered and they are BAD.

On the positive side is to be mentioned the customs officer.  My packing crew had raised a lot of valid questions in her mind by mislabelling items.  Lucky for me I could talk to her directly and I could get many things straightened out.  Their job is certainly not easy, but the officer at least was as decent as she was intelligent.  So it is my recommendation go yourself for the inspection, preferably with someone that knows what they are doing.

All the best in 2024