Starting Monday, DHL will halt all shipments from businesses worldwide to individual consumers in the United States that exceed the $800 threshold — a drastic move “until further notice.” The company confirmed that business-to-business deliveries will continue, albeit with potential delays.
“Shipments worth over $800, regardless of origin, may experience multi-day delays,” DHL said in a statement. “The change has caused a surge in formal customs clearances, which we are handling around the clock.”
Previously, items valued up to $2,500 could clear US customs with minimal paperwork, but under the new regime, that threshold has been slashed to $800. The resulting bureaucratic burden has significantly slowed the flow of goods into the country.
While shipments under $800 will still be accepted and processed with minimal checks, the temporary suspension marks a major disruption in global e-commerce flows — especially for retailers heavily reliant on cross-border logistics.
Adding further complexity, the White House is preparing to close a long-standing loophole known as the “de minimis” exemption, which allowed low-value goods to enter the US duty-free. The crackdown, set to take effect on May 2, targets shipments from China and Hong Kong in particular — a move officials claim is aimed at curbing synthetic opioid imports.
An executive order from the Trump administration stated the measures are “addressing the synthetic opioid supply chain,” which it alleges “plays a significant role in the synthetic opioid crisis in the US.” The administration also accused “many shippers” in China of disguising the contents of packages and using deceptive practices.
Retail giants like Shein and Temu are already warning of price hikes due to “recent changes in global trade rules and tariffs.”
Meanwhile, tensions are escalating on the international stage. Beijing has rebuffed US claims, stating that fentanyl is a “US problem,” and insisting that China enforces “the strictest drug policies in the world.” Echoing that sentiment, Hongkong Post last week announced the suspension of sea mail to the US and will stop accepting parcels bound for America from April 27. In a strongly worded statement, it declared: “The US is unreasonable, bullying and imposing tariffs abusively.”
As the ripple effects of the new US customs policy begin to disrupt global supply chains, businesses and consumers alike are bracing for further delays, higher prices, and increased friction in international trade.
