DHL Express India — Misleads customer and accepts food products for shipping

I sent some baby clothes/homemade sweets, snacks/masala power to my daughter who is in Paris through airway bill No.[protected] on 19/6/2021, spending Rs. 13800 through DHL, Chennai. Myself and my wife could not go to Paris to help my daughter who is blessed with the newborn baby because of covid and travel restrictions in Europe. The packets reached Paris on 23/6/2021, but to my surprise the parcel was returned to India (Bangalore) on the midnight of 24th June through airway bill No.[protected]. (Reason being it contained food products). Before sending the items, I enquired from DHL whether I can keep homemade sweets/snacks/masala power, and they indicated I can send them, and they normally give HSN code meant for sweets and snacks, and it would not be a problem. Finally, I got the packets back on 10/7/2021, after paying a duty of Rs. 7964.22. I am a senior citizen aged 76, living on interest income and no pension. It is a mental tension losing money, sent home made goods spoiled, ending up paying duty for the goods, and am extremely disappointed and had a fortnight sleepless night. Had the DHL is more transparent and clearer in telling the customers not to send food products, I would not have sent them. There is a breach of trust and contract with DHL. When DHL accepts, it becomes their responsibility to ensure that they are within the framework of the custom rules of the countries. In the process I lost nearly Rs. 35000, by way of DHL transport payment, duty, and resending the clothes again, (I have booked with DHL for resending them without the food items spending Rs.10, 800) and the loss of the home-made products sent earlier which has become unfit for consumption. While I can claim compensation for the losses through redressal forum, I passionately believe that approaching your office direct will yield result and I have neither stamina nor patience to through any legal forum. While I should pay for goods sent to my daughter, I request the amount paid for the shipment which returned i.e., Rs. 13800 may please be considered for waiver and reimbursement to me. Rs.13800 is a big amount for a retired person, and I sincerely feel that DHL would consider my request sympathetically. Kind Regards, K. Subramanian, [protected].