How do they do it????????????

So you're saying the boxes (inner and outer) had no physical signs of rough handling or being opened, but the speakers themselves were damaged? (You didn't say what damage exactly)

Were they big speakers, or small monitors, and

Is there any possibility that the speakers were damaged, without your knowledge, by the folks who boxed them?

they are dropped on the entire side of the box from a great distance

Same thing just happened to me on a re-plinthed Lenco turntable shipped from Canada. Packing was flawless and the box was unmarked and showed no signs of being opened, yet one corner of the plinth was badly dinged.

I have no idea what caused your problem. Were the speakers second hand? If a previous owner smoked drugs in their home then the dogs at customs would detect this and customs would likely look inside your speakers for hidden packages...(i.e. remove the driver to inspect inside)

All I can say is that my experience with UPS for international shipments on several occasions has been terrible. They even lost something for two weeks once. Their customer service did not even bother to follow up for me, even after repeated phone calls and ten days of waiting, and, in the end, I fixed the problem myself through phone calls to the receiver and by getting them to follow up directly with a local import/delivery supplier that UPS subcontracted at the receiving end airport. Another time they sent my goods to the wrong airport (mistyped the ZIP code in their system). Also their import and handling fees ( the hidden extras) seem to be far higher than anyone else.

Sorry for this brief rant....

From a more positive perspective, BAX and Fedex have always been excellent shippers for me.