Lately, as I have been seeing that the US eBay is appearing to rapidly remove listings for non-LED lighting and have been seeing that some international couriers are preventing collectors from privately importing non-LED lamps from across the world due to mercury content inside many lamp types, I am starting to have worries that whenever I am privately importing mercury containing lamps such as HID and fluorescent lamps as well as incandescent and halogen lamps from countries outside my home country of the USA, I am feeling concerned that when countries are banning non-LED lighting, I am having worries that private imports of non-LED lighting will be classified as smuggled contraband and collectors would be accused of smuggling charges and be sent to prison for their lighting hobbies. I just have a feeling that there might be a time when collectors will be forced to stop expanding their collections of non-LED lighting altogether as a result of aggressive lamp bans and the Minamata Convention on Mercury appearing to tighten restrictions on the trade of mercury containing products.

Consider this : If that would be the case, then i from the other side of the world, can send you in jail in your country, just by knowing your mail address and sending an unsolicited package to it

Epic isn't it ?

Nice case of paranoia going wild, heh Such bans always work on the wholesale level, or with Ebay which runs before the locomotive trying to cover their corporate bum. But see, people are still getting those metal halide and mercury lamps today even off Ebay.

Reminds me a story of 1970-1980's vintage, when American distributor of Mamiya photo equipment (sitting on their monopolistic position in the US and setting inflated prices accordingly) spread the rumor that everyone (even private persons) bringing Mamiya gear to US bought considerably cheaper in Japan (even somewhat used) will be sued on the copyright (!!) reasons by them! So far no one is known to be actually sued, but this was a loud scandal, and you see it is remembered till today Doing such things certainly ruin brand's reputation of course, though.     

@Ash. Sure for poor little mercury lamps, of course, BUT imagine if someone sends you a nice box of cocaine by post you may quickly get in a pretty deep legal sh&% ! 

That would make it more expensive to send the incriminating package i guess...