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April was another busy month. CBP trade personnel traveled to Central America and South Korea and appeared on ABC News.
The month marked a major milestone when the Department of Homeland Security announced its enhanced strategy to combat illicit trade in the American textile industry. As a part of this effort both DHS Secretary Mayorkas and I met with the National Council of Textiles Organizations to talk about our mutual goals to ensure a level playing field for American business while cracking down on illegal trade in this critical industry, which generates more than 500,000 American jobs.
But that’s certainly not all we did – we had boots on the ground at the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement Origin Cooperation Meeting in Seoul and the Annual Conference of the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America.
We also bid a fond farewell to John P. Leonard and welcome to the team our new Acting Deputy Executive Assistant Commissioner Rose Brophy!
Check out the rest of the newsletter for comprehensive updates on our latest headlines, events, and activities. Happy reading!
~ Executive Assistant Commissioner AnnMarie R. Highsmith
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Contents
- EAC's Message
- I. Office of Trade Activity
- CBP issues Withhold Release Order on Shanghai Select Safety Products and its subsidiaries
- CBP and HSI continue textile production verifications in Central America
- CBP celebrates World IP Day with U.S. Chamber of Commerce
- II. Outreach
- EAC Highsmith addresses National Council of Textile Organizations
- Office of Trade delegation participates in U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS) Origin Cooperation Meeting
- CBP delegation attends NCBFAA Annual Conference
- III. News You Can Use
- Minneapolis CBP seizes 364 pieces of counterfeit jewelry
- Champlain CBP seizes counterfeit designer watches worth over $50,000
- CBP finds fake goods imported at the Rochester Port of Entry
- CBP, Canon USA announce partnership against counterfeit products
- ABC Impact x Nightline features CBP on superfakes episode
- Trade Statistics
- Monthly Trade Statistics
I. Office of Trade Activity
CBP issues Withhold Release Order on Shanghai Select Safety Products and its subsidiaries
On April 10, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a Withhold Release Order against Shanghai Select Safety Products Company, Limited and its two subsidiaries based on information that reasonably indicates the use of convict labor in violation of 19 U.S.C. § 1307. CBP personnel will detain work gloves made by Shanghai Select Safety Products, Limited and its two subsidiaries at all U.S. ports of entry.
This Withhold Release Order is the latest of CBP's efforts to eliminate forced labor from U.S. supply chains. CBP now enforces 52 Withhold Release Orders and eight findings under 19 U.S.C. § 1307. Read the Withhold Release Order Press Release for more information about this action.
CBP and HSI continue textile production verifications in Central America
From April 15-26, the joint CBP and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Textile Production Verification Team conducted detailed visits in more than 20 factories throughout Guatemala. The team worked to verify production capacity and review compliance with rules of origin for textile products being imported into the United States claiming preferential duty treatment under the Dominican Republic-Central America (CAFTA-DR) free trade agreement.
These visits are the latest in a series of international trips to high-risk facilities to verify compliance with free trade agreements. In March, the team visited 18 factories in Honduras under CAFTA-DR, and more than 30 others in Mexico under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) in February. CBP and HSI will continue to conduct detailed site visits to ensure compliance with trade laws. Read more about the U.S. Government’s enhanced textile enforcement efforts in the Department of Homeland Security Press Release.
CBP celebrates World IP Day with U.S. Chamber of Commerce
On April 26, CBP partnered with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to honor World Intellectual Property (IP) Day, celebrating creativity and innovation around the globe. This year, CBP Office of Trade Executive Assistant Commissioner (EAC) AnnMarie R. Highsmith discussed the impacts of counterfeit goods on sustainable global development in her World IP Day blog for the Chamber, highlighting how counterfeits contribute to pollution, risks to health and safety, and harm to innovation.
In Fiscal Year 2023, CBP seized nearly 23 million counterfeit items with an estimated manufacturer's suggested retail price of $2.4 billion, had they been genuine. Learn more about what CBP is doing to protect intellectual property rights on CBP’s IPR webpage and get the latest data on the IPR Seizure Dashboard.
II. Outreach
EAC Highsmith addresses National Council of Textile Organizations
On April 10, EAC Highsmith spoke to the National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) Annual Meeting in Washington, DC. In a Q&A with NCTO President Kimberly Glas, EAC Highsmith addressed the domestic textile industry’s concerns that foreign importers are using unfair business practices – including the exploitation of forced labor and unlawful use of free trade agreements – to undercut U.S. companies. EAC Highsmith highlighted the importance of the domestic textile industry to United States’ national and economic security and outlined the Department of Homeland Security’s updated strategy to combat illicit trade and level the playing field for the American textile industry.
Office of Trade delegation participates in U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS) Origin Cooperation Meeting
From March 29 – April 5, a delegation from CBP’s Office of Trade participated in the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS) Origin Cooperation Meeting with the Korean Customs Service in Seoul, South Korea. The CBP delegates discussed trends and challenges in the application of KORUS origin provisions including verifications, inventory management, advance rulings, and transit and transshipment. The American Chamber of Commerce in Korea also hosted a joint seminar with CBP and Korean customs officials to discuss priority trade issues including forced labor and green trade.
CBP delegation attends NCBFAA Annual Conference
On April 17, a CBP delegation attended the 51st Annual Conference of the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. CBP Senior Official Performing the Duties of Commissioner (SOPDOC) Troy A. Miller addressed the conference, speaking about customs broker modernization and continuing education requirements and urged members’ continued cooperation on countering fentanyl and strengthening supply chain security. Read SOPDOC Miller’s full remarks in the NCBFAA press release.
III. News You Can Use
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Minneapolis CBP seizes 364 pieces of counterfeit jewelry
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Champlain CBP seizes counterfeit designer watches worth over $50,000
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CBP finds fake goods imported at the Rochester Port of Entry
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CBP, Canon USA announce partnership against counterfeit products
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ABC Impact x Nightline features CBP on superfakes episode
Trade Statistics
Month Trade Statistics
In March 2024, CBP processed more than 2.8 million entry summaries valued at more than $275 billion, identifying estimated duties of nearly $6.2 billion to be collected by the U.S. government. Trade via the ocean environment accounted for nearly 40 percent of the total import value, followed by air, truck, and rail. CBP identified 749 entries valued at more than $32 million for further examination based on the suspected use of forced labor, and which may be subject to a Withhold Release Order, Forced Labor Finding, or the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act’s rebuttable presumption prohibiting importation into the United States. CBP seized 1,633 shipments that contained counterfeit goods valued at more than $384 million.