It is at the discretion of the customs officer to allow deactivation when a blowgun has not been declared at the time of importation. The length of the dowel or dowels should conform to the length of the blowpipe itself. The dowel or dowels are to be held in place by industrial strength, epoxy glue. Water-soluble glue or children's glue is not permitted. Given the cultural value of some souvenir blowguns, importers should be clearly informed of the two methods of deactivation and be allowed to choose whichever method they prefer.
Importers are personally responsible for performing the deactivation procedures.
These procedures must be performed under a customs officer's supervision and control. Customs offices should provide a drill for the deactivation when the importer chooses the drilling method. Importers who wish to deactivate their blowguns by gluing dowels inside the barrels may need time to obtain the necessary supplies. Customs offices should hold the blowguns up to thirty days to allow importers to get the supplies they need. Deactivation procedures should normally be carried out at the point of entry.