Washington, D.C. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) targeted approximately 40 shipments at the Buffalo Port of Entry during January 2006. CBP Import Specialists and CBP officers participated in a two-week blitz targeting textile and wearing apparel merchandise coming into the United States by truck from Canada. Significant violations discovered during this special enforcement operation included inaccurate marking, merchandise misclassification to avoid visa/quota restrictions, new clothing presented as used or worn, and a number of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) violations. The seizure of the merchandise is valued at approximately $56,000.

“These special operations are necessary for CBP to maintain a robust trade enforcement program and to ensure compliance with laws and regulations governing all imports,” said Jayson P. Ahern, Assistant Commissioner for the Office of Field Operations. “CBP’s enforcement efforts not only protects the revenue, but also the U.S. consumer.”

Textiles entering the United States account for 43 percent of all duties collected. CBP ranks second to the Internal Revenue Service as a source of revenue for the Federal Government. One of CBP’s missions is to protect the nation’s revenue by assessing and collecting duties, taxes, and fees incident to international traffic and trade. On average, CBP collects $81,834,000 in fees, duties, and tariffs every day. CBP Import Specialists with specialized commodity knowledge analyze and review textile and other merchandise imports for possible violations.