chosen2k wrote(@nuclear did your friend receive a aliexpress package??? If yes then this assumption is wrong)
Yes, it was aliexpress.
Guys, let me clarify some issues for you.
First, customs can't know if item is from aliexpress or not. Aliexpress is a third party between sellers and customers. When we order an item on aliexpress, the seller ships the item via a shipping company (chinapost, hongkong post, sweden, singapore or express shipping such as dhl, aramex). To ship an item, the item is given a tracking number and shipped by the shipping company. So, aliexpress is responsible only on the "website" side to show items, collect money and control the process. Conclusion: it's not because of "items from aliexpress" that customs hold it.
Second, I ordered an item from aliexpress, 3 weeks ago, and I received it last week (shipped via hongkong post).
Third, I have items in customs since 16th and 25th of July shipped via hongkong post.
Fourth, I ordered a dress from aliexpress via aramex and I payed only 26$ clearance and vat.
Fifth, I have more than 35 items shipped via chinapost since 2 month and I received none of them.

Conclusion:
As chosen2k informed us today, most probably we have to pay 25 000 + vat on each item. (I payed less than 300$ to order 30 items and I have to pay around 600$ taxes to customs!!!! Noway!!!!)
What is happening now, is that each item (except the one I got last week by luck zamat) arriving to customs will be on hold for customs clearance, this means we have to pay too much for it and wait much more.
My suggestion for you guys, if you want to order items use Express shipping, you pay same fees but at least items are shipped in couple of days.
My final suggestion, forget about online shopping, thanks to our authorities :)
With express shipping you pay MUCH more for shipping, plus usually customs fees are higher.
I had some big packages from alixpress over libanpost who passed customs (before all this happened), and similar items over express had 2-3 times higher fees.
25,000 L.L + VAT is such a fair price, i wish they implemented this before. They must have done a lot of studies and research. God bless this country and its ethical workers.
It seems (and hope) that the customs are using such rules.
1- Items below a certain price are not subject to tax (as for the item that Zamat with Edwed) Edwed please what was the price of that Item?
2- For other Items which they consider according to their price subject to tax they are using a multiplication factor of the price to calculate VAT because they cannot estimate prices of all items there might be millions.

I have shipments which i have ordered since 1/6/2014 with prices varying from 6$ to 54$ till now none has shown on LIBANPOST tracking system neither received any notice in my P.O.BOX (last time i checked 3 days ago)

I shall keep you posted when my items arrive.

Thank you all for the info you are sharing.
I think the customs officials themselves have ordered from aliexpress at some time. And they would know from the package they received how much on average the aliexpress seller is undervaluing the items price on the shipment tag.

So to counter that, because they are smart..., they must be multiplying by a certain X factor consistent with their own personal package average.
I think a smart procedure from their side is to simply keep a laptop or smartphone in their hands and check manually each item price on Aliexpress website! It would take less than 30sec per item!
I hope they are that smart! Or else we might be screwed by their false assumptions!
Libanpost is following the same policy as DHL. I have ordered some car parts through DHL and when they delivered the invoice was detailed exactly as chosen2k above thread. So Libanpost workers have enough of delivering for nothing and they are so glad that this time they will get paid. In other words the complaints came from Linapost to the authorities where the customs gladly are stopping everything and do their jobs at ease. This is what i saw and told by one of the uniform guy.....
maroun wroteIt seems (and hope) that the customs are using such rules.
1- Items below a certain price are not subject to tax (as for the item that Zamat with Edwed) Edwed please what was the price of that Item?
2- For other Items which they consider according to their price subject to tax they are using a multiplication factor of the price to calculate VAT because they cannot estimate prices of all items there might be millions.

I have shipments which i have ordered since 1/6/2014 with prices varying from 6$ to 54$ till now none has shown on LIBANPOST tracking system neither received any notice in my P.O.BOX (last time i checked 3 days ago)

I shall keep you posted when my items arrive.

Thank you all for the info you are sharing.

It was a cigar cutter costing around 3$. I took only 9 days delivery. What was written on package: cable 2$.
I have items in customs since 16 July priced 3$ too (2 usb flash memories).
So I think that passing items to customs or not, depends on the category and the price of the item.
And as we know, they are smarter than looking at the package price, they evaluate the content and its category and they give a price!
For more info about customs you can take a look to taxing rules and categories: customs.gov.lb
Check Libanpost page on FB they have the below announcement:
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

Due to customers’ inquiries about incoming mail from China, LibanPost would like to announce the below:
In accordance with the customs’ law, all incoming packages and parcels from outside Lebanon, including China (AliExpress & others), are now subject to customs’ inspection and fees.

According to postal regulations, LibanPost cannot release any mail item nor send it to delivery prior to customs’ clearance, and cannot change or intervene in the customs’ declaration process or fees. We are committed to delivering right after customs’ clearance. Therefore, you will be receiving the goods with the customs clearance bill. It is important to note that time to clear customs varies and delays are currently occurring due to huge volumes at Customs.

To track your mail item, please go to: "Libanpost website"
If your item is still with the Customs: we are waiting just like you for the items to be cleared to be able to proceed with the delivery and cannot provide exact and accurate information about the declaration process.
If there is no data: your mail item has not reached the Lebanese territory yet.
For other inquiries, email us: customercare@libanpost.com or call our hotline: 1577.
I have items bought from dx.com stuck at customs since 24/Jul. and it says: Item handed over to Customs for clearance
Last time i bought something from dx.com was delivered from airport to my door in two days.

A guy in a prevoius reply said that we should tweet the authorities, well the mail service is the responsibility of the ministry of telecom.
So,it is minister Harb you should tweet.
Just had to cancel all my kickstarter pledges. Thank you Lebanese Customs...
can we choose not to pay for them and send them back and get a refund from AliExpress? I have ordered 2 weeks ago around 13 products. Imagine i have to pay now 25000 on each one of them... i'll be totally screwed... please tell me i cancel this.
georgesmh wrotecan we choose not to pay for them and send them back and get a refund from AliExpress? I have ordered 2 weeks ago around 13 products. Imagine i have to pay now 25000 on each one of them... i'll be totally screwed... please tell me i cancel this.
Orders that still are in processing mode (not yet shipped) you can ask for full refund and sellers will accept it (tell them the reason and say that you will give a 5 stars feedback after refund, they accept).
For items that were shipped all what you can do is wait to there arrival to lebanon and then i dont know if it is possible to say to libanpost "no i dont want it anymore" since they are responsible for paying our customs now.
i bought some stuff on ebay and today it shows that they are at libanpost distribution center with no sign that they are handed to customs
edwed wrote
georgesmh wrotecan we choose not to pay for them and send them back and get a refund from AliExpress? I have ordered 2 weeks ago around 13 products. Imagine i have to pay now 25000 on each one of them... i'll be totally screwed... please tell me i cancel this.
Orders that still are in processing mode (not yet shipped) you can ask for full refund and sellers will accept it (tell them the reason and say that you will give a 5 stars feedback after refund, they accept).
For items that were shipped all what you can do is wait to there arrival to lebanon and then i dont know if it is possible to say to libanpost "no i dont want it anymore" since they are responsible for paying our customs now.

By mail law, you can refuse because the mail you are receiving is not necessarily some thing you ordered, it might be some thing been bought for you by a relative (My brother in my case) over the internet as a gift which eventually you can refuse to receive.
if you refuse the shipment should be returned to sender.
4 days later
Hi all,
Hope what i'm writing below is good news at least for most of you.

After some research here below my findings.
Every international mailing company should describe its service with what they call "Parcel Post Compendium" document, that goes as well for libanpost where they published a description of their service on the universal postal union website. just google "Welcome to the Parcel Post Compendium" and you will find the website.

In Libanpost document under tax exemptions parcels less than 200,000 lbp or 133 usd are not subject to tax more details can be found in the document check it online.

As for Lebanese customs they can estimate the price as they want.
That explains why chosen2k parcel has been estimated for 210,000.

Another sections describes that the addressee can refuse to pay custom duties and reject receiving the parcel.
Document was last updated Feb 2014


Regards
According to MTV news, liban post will deliver all the packages (around 100K items held), in the next few days.
that's great news,sure item priced between 100$ and 130$ may get estimated at 133$ by customs,but at least our 1~50$ items will be safe.