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Import

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CBP Seized My Goods: What Happens Next and What Are My Options?

Receiving notice that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has seized your merchandise can bring an import transaction to an immediate halt. More importantly, a seizure means CBP believes there is a legal basis to take possession of the merchandise and potentially pursue forfeiture. 

A CBP seizure is not the same as a routine delay or detention at the border. Once merchandise has been seized, importers face specific procedures and deadlines for challenging the seizure or requesting relief. How you respond can affect whether the goods are released, forfeited, or become the subject of additional enforcement action. 

If CBP has seized your shipment, understanding why the goods were seized, what your Notice of Seizure says, and what options are available should be your first priorities. 

Why Does CBP Seize Imported Goods? 

CBP is responsible for enforcing hundreds of laws and regulations governing merchandise entering the United States. Merchandise may be seized when CBP determines that the goods were imported, entered, or introduced contrary to law. 

Common reasons for CBP seizures include: 

  • Counterfeit goods and intellectual property rights violations; 
  • Prohibited or restricted merchandise; 
  • Undeclared or improperly declared merchandise; 
  • False statements concerning country of origin, value, classification, or other entry information; 
  • Attempts to evade customs duties; 
  • Certain violations involving antidumping […]
By |2026-10-02T13:13:08-04:00October 2, 2026|Enforcement, Import, penalty, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)|0 Comments
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2026 CBP Trade and Cargo Security Summit: Key Takeaways for Importers 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) brought together government officials and members of the trade community in Dallas from September 8–10, 2026, for its annual Trade and Cargo Security Summit (TCSS). This year’s theme “Knowing Your Supply Chain to Remain Compliant and Mitigate Risk” was reflected throughout three days of discussions on enforcement, supply chain visibility, artificial intelligence, forced labor, transshipment, CTPAT, cybersecurity, and the future of customs compliance.  

Here are some of the most important takeaways for importers.

  1. CBP Is Entering a New Era of Customs Enforcement

A major focus of the Summit was the Administration’s June 3, 2026 “Strengthening Customs Enforcement” Executive Order and the regulatory changes expected to follow. 

The Executive Order calls for, among other things, heightened requirements for Importers of Record (IORs), expanded data and identification requirements, and increased vetting of IORs and other parties throughout the import process. CBP officials emphasized that implementation will be an agency-wide effort and that additional regulatory packages are expected.  

The shift is already visible in the government’s broader enforcement posture. Discussions at the Summit emphasized customs fraud, shell companies, identity theft, false importer information, double invoicing, and other schemes CBP is encountering in the trade environment. CBP also stressed that its focus is not on ordinary clerical mistakes, but on identifying and escalating consequences for parties intentionally exploiting the system.  

  1. Supply Chain Visibility Is Becoming a National Security Issue

Perhaps no […]

By |2026-09-18T12:55:53-04:00September 18, 2026|Best Practices, CTPAT, Enforcement, Forced Labor, Import, Supply Chain, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)|0 Comments
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Wood Packaging Material Violations: What to Do When CBP Issues an EAN 

This article explains what an importer should do in the first 24 hours after CBP issues an Emergency Action Notification (EAN) for non-compliant wood packaging material (WPM), how CBP calculates and mitigates the penalties that follow, and how the new APHIS-approved shredder-hammermill treatment can save the underlying cargo. It matters because a WPM penalty is assessed at the full domestic value of the merchandise, requires no pre-penalty notice, and can be issued even when the importer fully complies with the EAN. The decisions made before the cargo leaves the port determine how much of that exposure survives. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS 

  • An Emergency Action Notification (EAN) for non-compliant wood packaging material is not the end of the matter. It is the start of a penalty file. Call counsel the day it arrives, not the day the penalty notice arrives. 
  • CBP penalties for WPM violations are assessed at the domestic value of the merchandise under 19 U.S.C. § 1595a(b), with no pre-penalty notice required. A single violation is enough. The old five-violation threshold was eliminated in 2017. 
  • Mitigation is real but shrinks fast: 1 to 10 percent of the penalty on a first violation, 10 to 25 percent on a second, and a 25 percent floor on the third. Documented immediate remediation and cooperation are what move you toward the low end. 
  • Shredder-hammermilling is now an APHIS-approved treatment for non-compliant […]
By |2026-09-03T12:10:01-04:00September 3, 2026|Enforcement, Import, penalty, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Uncategorized|0 Comments
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$5.15 Million Settlement Highlights Growing Customs Enforcement Under the False Claims Act

Short summary: A Taiwanese manufacturer has agreed to pay $5.15 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by underpaying customs duties on imported goods. According to the Department of Justice, the company used improper customs practices to reduce duties owed to CBP, resulting in significant lost tariff revenue. The settlement underscores the federal government’s continued focus on customs enforcement and the growing use of the False Claims Act to pursue alleged duty evasion. 

The U.S. Department of Justice recently announced that a Taiwan-led manufacturer agreed to pay $5.15 million to resolve allegations under the False Claims Act and related administrative claims involving customs duties owed on imported goods. While the company did not admit liability, the settlement serves as another reminder that customs compliance remains a significant enforcement priority for the federal government. 

The Case – What Happened 

According to the DOJ, the alleged conduct went well beyond a simple classification error. The government alleged that the company used multiple methods over several years to reduce the customs duties it owed on imports. Specifically: 

  • Country of Origin Misrepresentations: From July 2018 through January 2022, Everlight allegedly knowingly misrepresented the country of origin on Chinese-manufactured LEDs. Everlight knew these products were manufactured in China, and then transshipped to Taiwan, before shipping them to the U.S.  Everlight allegedly misrepresented to CBP that the products originated in Taiwan rather […]
By |2026-08-10T12:28:37-04:00August 10, 2026|Enforcement, Import, International Trade, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)|0 Comments
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DOJ and DHS Publish Comprehensive Trade Fraud Enforcement Guide: What Importers Need to Know 

Short summary: The DOJ and DHS have jointly published a new Resource Guide to Trade Fraud Enforcement, highlighting the government’s coordinated approach to combating customs fraud and strengthening import compliance. The guide explains key enforcement authorities, common trade fraud schemes, and the government’s expectations for importers, customs brokers, and others participating in global supply chains.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have released a new 31-page Resource Guide to Trade Fraud Enforcement, providing one of the clearest public statements yet on how the federal government views customs fraud, enforcement priorities, and importer compliance obligations. The guide was developed by the Trade Fraud Task Force, a partnership that includes DOJ’s National Fraud Enforcement Division, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and other federal agencies. 

While much of the guide summarizes existing laws and enforcement authorities, its significance lies in the government’s messaging. It makes clear that customs violations are no longer viewed as merely technical or administrative issues. Instead, DOJ and DHS repeatedly characterize trade fraud as a threat to economic security, national security, public safety, and human rights, signaling that aggressive enforcement will continue across multiple agencies. 

Combatting Trade Fraud Is a Priority for the Federal Government 

One of the report’s primary themes is that trade fraud extends far beyond the underpayment of duties. According to the guide, fraudulent import practices undermine domestic manufacturers, deprive the government of […]

By |2026-07-21T12:47:52-04:00July 21, 2026|Import, U.S Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)|0 Comments
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