Sending Coins Overseas, An Adventure

So I have a post under giveaways where I was offering misc proof sets to young numismatists.
Our member Molydeii requested some for a group of young people that he is mentoring (?), I said I would be glad to contribute.
I sent him 8 misc proof sets dated between 1968 and 1998.
Three weeks later I sent him a Secret Santa gift. Both packages got to his local post office at the same time. He was able to get his Secret Santa package with no problem, but the customs people wouldn't release his proof sets without excessive fees and/or paperwork. (I wasn't totally clear on why they wouldn't let him pick it up. He told them to return to sender.
Well, it finally got back to me today. All 8 sets had been opened, the mint packaging damaged on all 8, all 8 put back in the wrong mint package. A little surprising to me was that none of the coins were removed/missing.
Sorry Molydeii! I tried!