UPS is destroying packages coming into the Louisville facility- here's why

Imagine checking your tracking number and seeing this: "Your package is being disposed of." That's exactly what happened to Sloan Dickey, and he's far from alone.

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When Dickey first saw the notification, he thought it had to be a mistake. "I was a little bit in disbelief," he told me. "I had never heard of anything like that before and didn't even know that was something a shipping company could do."

But it wasn't a mistake. His package was actually being disposed of by UPS- and according to posts flooding the UPS subreddit, hundreds or possibly thousands of other customers are experiencing the same nightmare.

Sloan Dickey lives in Denver, CO, but contacted me- a Louisville journalist- after seeing his package's last known location was the Louisville WorldPort facility.

What's going on?

UPS says the issue stems from new U.S. import regulations that require more detailed customs information. Not only is it more information, it's constantly changing information, a spokesperson explained. Each round of new tariffs being imposed by the Trump administration change the requirements for packages to enter the United States.

In a statement, the company explained that they're "seeing many packages that are unable to clear customs due to missing or incomplete information about the shipment required for customs clearance."

The company insists they're doing everything they can, claiming their brokerage team clears more than 90% of packages on the first day and that they make "more than three contacts per package" to get the necessary information.

The customer experience: a bureaucratic nightmare

"Saying it was difficult to get information from UPS is an understatement," Dickey said. "I probably spent 12 hours waiting on hold to speak with anyone who could tell me what the hell was going on."

What followed was a frustrating game of telephone. Representatives would transfer him between departments, each call requiring another hour-long wait. Nobody could actually explain why his package was being destroyed.

Even worse? UPS gave conflicting information to Dickey and the international seller, where he bought the glassware. "UPS would tell me that the shipper was to blame because they had not provided crucial information," Dickey explained. "Then when the shipper would call UPS, they would explain that I had not provided the information."

When they finally managed to get on a call together with a UPS representative, they were told the matter was "under investigation"- but still received no real explanation.

The human cost

The emotional toll goes beyond inconvenience. Dickey described the experience as "extremely invalidating having my belongings simply thrown away, and the company that disposed of those items telling me it was my fault."

On Reddit, customers report losing irreplaceable items- family heirlooms, memorabilia, valuable purchases- all discarded without adequate warning or explanation.

According to UPS's statement, packages are only disposed of when they "cannot obtain the necessary information to clear the package" and the customer doesn't respond, making the package "abandoned." They say disposal happens "in compliance with U.S. customs regulations." But would not elaborate on where or how disposal takes place.

Many customers say they never received any indication that UPS needed information from them before getting the disposal notification, making it impossible to respond to requests they never knew existed.

What happens next?

For Dickey, the damage is done. "As far as UPS is concerned, I will be going out of my way to avoid shipping with UPS ever again," he said. "They have shown complete disregard for both the packages being shipped and the customers shipping and receiving those packages."

He's also reconsidering international purchases altogether. "Given the current political situation in the United States with tariffs, I am hesitant to purchase any more goods from overseas."

UPS maintains they're "committed to serving our customers" and working to "bridge the gap of understanding tied to the new requirements." But with packages being destroyed and customers spending hours on hold without answers, that commitment is being seriously tested.

If you're expecting an international package through UPS, the company recommends proactively contacting the seller to ensure all customs information is complete- before your tracking status takes a turn for the worse.