A Miami-based customs broker was sentenced to 72 months in prison for his part in a scheme to obtain steep discounts by telling medical device manufacturers they were shipping devices to Afghanistan as aid and military supplies, then diverting the devices to U.S. customers, the Justice Department said in a Dec. 16 press release. Luis Soto had been convicted by a jury after evidence was presented that he was a knowing participant in the scheme (see 1909050023). He will also forfeit $100,000 in proceeds, DOJ said. Byramji Javat, the purported ringleader, had already pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 120 months in prison.
With the announcement of a phase one deal, Flexport chief economist Phil Levy said the promise is for stability in tariff levels -- even if the large majority of goods facing Section 301 tariffs will retain the 25 percent hike. But, he noted in a Dec. 16 webinar, many times over the last eight months, “a deal was announced, and it didn't last. That should sort of serve as a precautionary tale.” Levy, like many observers, doesn't believe that a phase two deal, that could lead to rolling back more tariffs, is likely in the next year.
With the announcement of a phase one deal, Flexport chief economist Phil Levy said the promise is for stability in tariff levels -- even if the large majority of goods facing Section 301 tariffs will retain the 25 percent hike. But, he noted in a Dec. 16 webinar, many times over the last eight months, “a deal was announced, and it didn't last. That should sort of serve as a precautionary tale.” Levy, like many observers, doesn't believe that a phase two deal, that could lead to rolling back more tariffs, is likely in the next year.
Automated Export System and Electronic Export Information filings are not yet considered proof of exportation for drawback purposes, according to a Dec. 9 alert from the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America. NCBFAA said it received the “advice” from CBP after “many inquiries and some confusion” about proof of export rules.
Automated Export System and Electronic Export Information filings are not yet considered proof of exportation for drawback purposes, according to a Dec. 9 alert from the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America. NCBFAA said it received the “advice” from CBP after “many inquiries and some confusion” about proof of export rules.
Tech companies and advertisers made a last stand, raising concerns about the California Consumer Privacy Act before it takes effect Jan. 1. Comments were due Friday on implementing rules Attorney General Xavier Becerra (D) proposed in October and that must be finalized by July 1 when enforcement begins (see 1910100042). The AG office didn’t post the most recent comments online. Some sent theirs to us.
The growing complexity of international trade and the increasing use of front companies have made it more difficult to identify end-users and more challenging for enforcement authorities to prosecute illegal exports, according to a December report by The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. In response, the European Union, and other multistate export regimes, should push for more transparency in penalties for export violations, create a forum for information sharing on national enforcement measures and improve reporting on those measures, the report said. The EU should also adopt “clearer” language on complex export concepts and make “detection, investigation and prosecution” a “key focus” of its industry outreach efforts.
Tech companies and advertisers made a last stand, raising concerns about the California Consumer Privacy Act before it takes effect Jan. 1. Comments were due Friday on implementing rules Attorney General Xavier Becerra (D) proposed in October and that must be finalized by July 1 when enforcement begins (see 1910100042). The AG office didn’t post the most recent comments online. Some sent theirs to us.
An Iranian businessman was sentenced to 46 months in prison for illegally exporting carbon fiber from the U.S. to Iran, the Justice Department said Nov. 14. Behzad Pourghannad worked with two others between 2008 and 2013 to export the carbon fiber to Iran from third countries using falsified documents and front companies, the agency said.
Apple was fined about $465,000 for violations of the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Sanctions Regulations after it hosted, sold and “facilitated the transfer” of software applications and content belonging to a sanctioned company, the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control said in a Nov. 25 notice. Apple allegedly dealt in “the property and interests” of SIS d.o.o., a Slovenian software company added to OFAC’s Specially Designated Nationals List in 2015.