U.S. Customs – CBP Cracking Down

Carriers have advised us of the heightening awareness of border inspections by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).  The inspections are being done on international shipments specifically looking for invasive species and contaminants. These inspectaions are mandated at all U.S. Ports of entry including U.S. ocean terminals and all U.S. Border crossings.

CBP is taking an aggressive enforcement stance at the border to prevent the importation of foreign noxious weed seeds and invasive insect species (i.e. Snails, Gypsy Moths, Stink Bugs, Asian Long Horn Beetles, etc.) into the United States. They are applying an “Outside the Box” approach to enforce inspecting both the exterior and interior of the container (snails and gypsy moths attach themselves to the exterior) for these so called “hitchhikers.”  CBP describes the problem as an outcome of overseas origin storage and staging practices for lading and containers alike. Viewed as an ongoing risk, they won’t stop until the bugs and weed seeds stop.

Best Practices for Trade by CBP

• Provide personnel at origin with training to detect contaminants
• Comply with regulatory precautions to ensure that all Wood Packaging Material is ISPM 15 compliant
• Perform visual inspections of conveyances frequently before arriving in the United States
• Clean and disinfect conveyances in between visits to animal production facility and prior to arriving in United States
• Obtain pre-departure certification for ships (Asian Gypsy Moth (AGM)).