Restricted & Prohibited Items
Most personal, household, and commercial goods travel with us without any issue. A small number of items can't be shipped at all, or need extra care when packed. Here's what to know before you book.
Packing note: glass, bottles, and cartons
Alongside the list below, we advise against packing glass items, vases, bottled liquids, or tetra-pak cartons (boxed milk, for example) directly into your shipping boxes — these can break or burst in transit and damage the rest of your shipment. Get in touch and we can supply plastic containers so these can be packed safely instead. See our Packing Guide for more on packing your items properly.
Prohibited from sea freight
The following items cannot be shipped with us by sea under any circumstances:
- Skins or hides from non-domesticated animals
- Articles of exceptional value — art, antiques, precious stones, gold or silver
- Rough or uncut diamonds (Ghana requires a Kimberley Process certificate for these specifically, on top of the general restriction above)
- Firearms, ammunition, or explosives of any kind, and replica firearms or guns
- Fireworks and blasting/detonating equipment
- Knives, knuckle dusters, or other items considered dangerous weapons
- Handcuffs or other restraint devices
- Weapons designed to discharge gas, pepper spray, or other noxious substances
- Furs
- Ivory and ivory products
- Live animals
- Diseased animals or animal carcasses
- Money, negotiable items, or prepaid cards
- Counterfeit currency, or counterfeit/imitation branded goods
- Perishable goods
- Plants or seeds
- Pornographic material
- Scandalous, defamatory, or obscene printed material
- Tobacco products and controlled drugs (cocaine, marijuana, etc.)
- Spirits or other alcoholic drinks above a high proof/alcohol content
- Car batteries
- Loose lithium batteries or power banks not installed inside a device
- Mercury or mercury-containing items (e.g. old thermometers or barometers)
- Gambling or gaming machines
- Body parts
- Laboratory or medical samples
- Anything subject to UK export control restrictions (for example, military or dual-use goods, or items covered by current trade sanctions)
Air freight
Liquids and batteries are not accepted for air freight. See our Services page for the full detail on what air freight can and can't carry.
Not sure if something can be shipped?
Get in touch before you pack — we're happy to check an item for you rather than have it turned away at collection.