August 2011

Recovering Your Seized Cargo from U.S. Customs

On September 8, 2011, from 2:00-3:00 p.m. EST, the Journal of Commerce will host a webinar entitled “Recovering Your Seized Cargo”. The panel experts will explain the CBP detention and seizure process, as well as the administrative petition and judicial forfeiture process.

If you have ever had your money seized by Customs for failure to declare over $10,000, had merchandise seized for misdeclaring its value or not paying enough customs duties, had your bank account seized for alleged trade-based money laundering, or had any other items detained or seized by U.S. Customs for violating another Federal agency’s regulations, you should sign up for this webinar.

The fee is only $155 for this most informative webinar taught by experts with a comprehensive understanding of the internal policies and procedures of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. A little knowledge now could save you time, frustration, and a lot of money by learning how to avoid a seizure, or when a seizure has already occurred, how to get your seized cargo back as quickly as possible.

Whatever the type of merchandise, whether it is an import or an export shipment, whether it will be sold in the United States or just moving in-transit through the United States, whether it needs a special import or export license, U.S. Customs seizes and forfeits tens of millions of dollars of merchandise every year. Download the Powerpoint presentations, and get involved in the Q&A session. Click “Recovering Your Seized Cargo” to register at the Journal of Commerce website.

By Jennifer Diaz|2021-03-26T14:38:42-04:00August 22, 2011|CBD, Seizure|0 Comments

Food Import Workshop in Miami on September 7

The annual seminar “Practical Tools for Trade in the Food Industry” takes place at the Miami Seaport on September 7, 2011 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sponsored by the Miami-Dade County Office of Economic Development & International Trade, and supported by the Port of Miami, this year we will again focus on what importers need to know about both U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Food and Drug Administration requirements. There will be special emphasis on the new Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011.

The seminar takes place at the beautiful Port of Miami Conference Room, 1015 N. America Way, Miami. Registration may be done on-line. Questions regarding REGISTRATION may be directed to Adam Peters, Trade Development Specialist at (305) 375-5420 or apeters@miamidade.gov. Question regarding content of the seminar may be directed to Jennifer Diaz, Senior Attorney, Customs and International Trade Department, Becker & Poliakoff law firm (305) 260-1053.

By Jennifer Diaz|2015-12-01T06:42:10-05:00August 17, 2011|FDA Issues, Food, Import|0 Comments

10th Annual IBWOY Awards – November 1, 2011 – SAVE THE DATE!!!

On November 1, 2011, the Organization of Women in International Trade’s South Florida will host our 10th Annual International Business Women of the Year (IBWOY) Awards (men are absolutely welcome)!

This is my final year as President of OWIT-South Florida, making this IBWOY awards that much more special to me. I hope you will be there to join in this truly exceptional event as we honor 3 outstanding international business women who are helping pave the way for future women leaders.

WHO: The Organization of Women in International Trade
WHAT: 10th Annual International Business Women of the Year (IBWOY) Awards
WHEN: November 1, 2011, 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
WHERE: The InterContinental Miami West Hotel – Doral, 2505 North West 87th Ave. Miami, FL 33172
COST: Early Bird (register by Sept. 16): $50 members/$65 non-members Regular/Event Day Registration: $75 members/$85 non-members Table of ten (10): $500

In addition to our awards portion, we have a silent auction where we donate proceeds to International Business Students in local universities, as part of National Scholarship Month (last year we raised $4,000!). If you have an item to donate, we would be grateful to receive it, please let me know! We also have great sponsorship opportunities, tables for IBWOY are only $500, ($50/ticket as opposed to $65/ticket for non-members). Take advantage of early registration fees as well! ($50/member, $65/non-member until September 16, thereafter, $75/member, $85/non-member).

By Jennifer Diaz|2021-03-26T14:39:00-04:00August 15, 2011|Events|0 Comments

TSA and Pepper Spray – A Story of What NOT to Do

Our beloved Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has the responsibility of screening passengers to “ensure that certain items and persons prohibited from flying don’t board commercial airliners.” This is accomplished through 43,000 Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) located at 450 airports around the United States. While I am waiting in line to be screened, there seems always to be one energetic TSO screaming at my fellow passengers to take our shoes off, remove most liquids, take our belts off, take out our laptops, etc.. it is hard to remember that the official Mission of the TSA is to “protect the Nation’s transportation systems to ensure freedom of movement for people and commerce.” I do have one funny story to tell you about the TSA and a certain passenger.

While the TSA regulations specifically prohibit the carrying on board an aircraft, or even into the airport, any weapon or explosive device, a particular passenger had a pepper spray pen with him. The pepper spray pen was not detected by the TSO when the passenger’s body and luggage went through those radiation-emitting devices.

That is bad enough, but what the passenger did next was a mistake. After passing through TSA, he then approached the crew of the aircraft at his gate of departure, and handed over the pepper spray pen to the gate agents with some sort of statement that the TSOs did not detect the pen during the screening process. Predictably, the passenger was then approached by law enforcement, interrogated, and not allowed to fly on […]

By Jennifer Diaz|2015-12-01T06:41:39-05:00August 14, 2011|Investigation, TSA|0 Comments

Reconditioning Imported Food Refused by the FDA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is increasingly stopping and examining imported shipments of food attempting to enter the United States. Often, the FDA does not allow the food to enter the United States by declaring it to be misbranded or adulterated by filth or decomposition. Virtually always, refused food is then either destroyed or exported from the United States. There is a little known, but valuable, option called “reconditioning”.

Once reconditioned, food that was originally rejected by the FDA may legally enter the commerce of the United States. How, when, and why to recondition food is the subject of a webinar on May 25, 2011, sponsored by the Journal of Commerce.

John Verbeten is the Director of Operations and Policy Branch, Division of Import Operations and Policy, at FDA Headquarters. The discussion will cover detention without physical examination (DWPE), the Food Safety Modernization Act, the FDA Regulatory Procedures Manual, and the practical use of FDA Form 766.

Registration for the webinar is done on-line at the Journal of Commerce website.

Separately, a seminar for importers, customs brokers, and other persons involved in international trade is taking place in Tampa, Florida, on June 1, 2011. This will be a practical “how to” regarding the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011, FDA’s Detention Without Physical Examination (DWPE) and Notice of Refusal procedures, FDA Import Alerts, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection issuance of Liquidated Damages for failure to redelivery FDA refused merchandise.

By Jennifer Diaz|2015-12-28T14:20:49-05:00August 13, 2011|FDA Issues, Food|0 Comments

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