TACOMA: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations officers and import specialists at the Port of Tacoma recently seized a shipment of toys found to be in violation of consumer safety and trade laws. Upon examination of the cargo, officers discovered merchandise possibly in violation of U.S. laws and regulations. Further work by CBP determined the items were being imported contrary to law and led to the seizure of 720 retail units of four-piece Light Dive Sticks for violation of the Federal Hazardous Substances Act, 900 retail units of Bubble Gun with Lights and 1,500 retail units of 22-inch Water Cannons for violation of the Consumer Product Safety Act. “The enforcement of laws and regulations aimed at protecting consumers, especially children, at U.S. ports of entry remains a very high priority for CBP. We will identify, stop and seize such merchandise at every opportunity,” said Mark Wilkerson, director of CBP Field Operations at the Area Port of Seattle. “By working to stop the movement of illicit goods across our borders we meet a critical mandate.”
CBP is responsible for enforcing nearly 500 U.S. trade laws and regulations on behalf of 47 federal agencies, facilitating legitimate trade, collecting revenue, and protecting the U.S. economy and its consumers from harmful imports and unfair trade practices. CBP’s trade enforcement strategy is multi-layered and includes seizing illegal merchandise at our borders, pushing the border “outward” through audits of suspect importers, cooperating with our international trading partners, and collaborating with industry and governmental agencies to enhance these efforts. For more information on CBP’s Intellectual Property Rights priority trade issue visit: CBP Trade and IPR.
