U.S. Enlists Mexico in Trade Enforcement Crackdown

U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced recently the conclusion of a joint trade enforcement operation with Mexico’s Agencia Nacional de Aduanas de México at the Otay Mesa cargo export facility. A close reading of the announcement highlights where CBP is aiming its enforcement efforts.

CBP said this five-day operation focused on identifying potential trade violations involving in-bond shipments moving between the U.S. and Mexico, particularly high-value electronics and textiles. Enforcement efforts targeted potential transshipment, undervaluation, inaccurate country-of-origin claims, and customs documentation discrepancies. “These practices can undermine legitimate trade, circumvent customs regulations, evade lawful duties, and result in significant revenue losses for both countries,” CBP noted.

According to a CBP press release, participating agencies jointly offloaded and inspected 80 percent of the targeted shipments and found discrepancies or indicators requiring additional review, including with respect to value, classification, merchandise descriptions, quantities, and country-of-origin information. CBP said it will coordinate with ANAM on follow-up reviews, including verification of manufacturers, importers, exporters, and claimed country-of-origin documentation.

CBP said a key outcome of the operation was the enhanced real-time exchange of information between the two customs agencies, which included comparing U.S. export records, commercial documentation, and Mexican customs data to identify inconsistencies and evaluate whether shipments complied with applicable trade requirements. The collaboration also supported the identification of potential schemes in which goods may be routed through intermediary countries or inaccurately represented as originating in a country eligible for preferential duty treatment.

Going forward, CBP said, the two sides will expand information-sharing channels, coordinate targeted enforcement activities, and improve the timely verification of trade data. These efforts “will help both agencies detect and disrupt sophisticated commercial-fraud schemes, including transshipment and improper claims for preferential tariff treatment under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.”