Background

U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s latest monthly operational update reports that in May the agency saw a significant increase in the number of forced labor shipments while the number of audits and amount of related duties owed declined.

In May CBP processed more than 2.8 million entry summaries (up from 2.6 million in April) valued at more than $273 billion (up from $257 billion) and identified nearly $6.9 billion in estimated duties to be collected (up from $6.5 billion).

CBP targeted 460 shipments (up from 377) valued at more than $197 million (up from $159 million) for suspected use of forced labor in the production of imported goods, including goods subject to withhold release orders, forced labor findings, or the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. Targeted shipments include those that are further inspected but not detained, detained and released, detained and exported, or detained and abandoned. (For more information on ST&R’s comprehensive suite of forced labor-related services, please contact us at supplychainvisibility@strtrade.com).

CBP also seized 1,980 shipments (up from 1,864) that contained counterfeit goods valued at more than $216 million (down from $2.7 billion).

Finally, CBP completed 26 audits (down from 33) that identified $1 million (down from $136 million) in duties and fees owed to the U.S. government stemming from goods that had been improperly declared. CBP also collected more than $3.9 million (up from $2 million) of identified revenue from these and previously completed audits.

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