From my experience shipping all over the Planet, when Customs selects a parcel to give it the "full works", 2 things normally happen, the parcel is fully scanned and inspected, if everything is OK, the parcel is marked (sticker, brochure, paper notice, something "Official" not hand written in the box and the box is cleared from them.
If something isn't right, 2 things will happen, the box and ALL its contents are confiscated and either you are Officially notified or the Police will be knocking at your door...! If there is one or more items in the box that are causing the problem (whatever the reason), Customs will not remove any items and send the rest, Customs will remove the box from circulation, and contact the sender for some explanation or clarification.
The parcel will be identified/marked/tagged and put a side until, Customs have a resolution of the situation. This can mean that, they give the sender 3 options, one is to pay to have the box returned and the other is to pay for any "treatments" such as fumigations and other practices they have at their disposal and the 3th is to inform you the box will be destroyed...!
From what you describe and from what you have been told, as you have no evidence that the truth have been told, it seems to me that, was your description of the contents that made the pens being stolen from the box, by someone in the freight system that is opportunist and looking for "specific" identified items to "remove from circulation and into their pockets/bags. I have had a few of my sent boxes opened and specific blanks taken out...!
It is very important to think very carefully on what one's descriptions are written on those forms. Firstly, some "terms/words" will automatically guarantee Customs attention, things such as, bombs, knifes, bullets, ammunition, powder, projectiles, animal parts, bones, ivory, skins, triggers, initiators, primers, cases, guns, gun parts, etc, etc etc,.
One of the most typical mistakes pen turners make when sending items away is referring the items as "bullet pens", bolt-action pens and the like.
For those not so informed about the world of firearms/weapons, a bullet pen, is in fact a weapon. They have been the weapon of choice for "close encounters" and difficult detection from conventional means. Normally a .22 calibre, these bullet pens are fairly easy to make and disguise as a normal pen so, sending a parcel with bullet pen on bolt-action pen, is no different than saying the work, "bomb" in any airplain...!
:redface:
So, what do you do for items description when send pens or pen parts to others, particularly overseas...??? you write wooden/acrylic/metal pens or a combination of materials or, pen TURNING/MAKING accessories, HANDMADE pens, timber/acrylic/metal or a combination of materials, pen turning blanks.
There are 2 other things that come to mind that will get you into troubles, one is, send wood with bark attached or full of worm holes and being in its natural/raw stage/condition. The other is, sending antler pieces that are easily identified as unprocessed antlers and of size that makes it easy to identify, trying to send these into Australia, CAN get you in hot water...!
I hope this little bit of information, is of some use to you...!
Cheers
George