CBP officers at Miami International Airport seized 0.25 Kg of Heroin found in a cargo of flowers, the agency said. The seizure took place during a routine examination of cargo coming from Bogota, Colombia, during which CBP officers saw a cylinder shaped object hidden among carnations. A closer examination of the cylinder by CBP officers revealed the presence of a brown powdering substance which later tested positive for Heroin. There were no arrests in connection with this seizure as CBP did not find a link between the shipper or the importer and the drugs, said CBP.
The Import Specialist Enforcement Team (ISET) at CBP's Laredo Port of Entry recently seized a commercial shipment of counterfeit watches and other watches used to facilitate the importation carrying a combined retail value of $28.7 million.
CBP plans two Informed Compliance Seminars in Boston July 31, said CBP in a public information notice. Information on the classification of building stone and household glassware, under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule, will be presented by Jacob Bunin, CBP’s National Import Specialist for these products. The presentation will be at the Thomas P. O’Neill Federal Building, 10 Causeway Street, Conference Room 176B Boston, MA 02222. The presentation on building stone will go from 9 -11 a.m. and the presentation on household glassware will go from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Attendance is free but advance registration is requested by July 24 and is limited to the first 60 registrants for each session.
In the July 5, 2012 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (Vol. 46, No.28), CBP published two notices of its revocation of its rulings and treatment regarding the tariff classification of children's vests and rooftop air conditioners.
CBP said it is working on a deployment plan for allowing initial filings of Simplified Entry to include (i) bringing on all pilot participants, (ii) expansion to other ports, (iii) inclusion of additional functionality such as the PGA Message Set and DIS (Document Image System) capabilities, and (iv) expansion to other modes of transportation. CBP and the pilot participants will do an evaluation after 60-90 days to assess the pilot, it said in a June update on Simplified Entry.
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related issues:
CBP is requesting comments by Sept. 10 for an existing information collection concerning the Crew Member's Declaration. CBP proposes to extend the expiration date of this information collection with no change to the burden hours or to the information collected. The notice ran in the Federal Register July 11.
CBP posted a July 9 version of its CF 1400 (Record of Vessel in Foreign Trade Entrances) electronic query report of the Vessel Management System (VMS), in accordance with 19 CFR 4.95, organized by entrances. CBP also posted a version of its CF 1401 (Record of Vessel in Foreign Trade Clearances) electronic query report of the VMS, in accordance with 19 CFR 4.95, organized by clearances.
CBP issued its weekly tariff rate quota and tariff preference level commodity report as of July 9.
CBP released more details on the trade fair in Seattle scheduled for July 19. CBP has invited government agencies that regulate trade to participate, it said. There's no registration necessary, though IDs will be required.