A Miami-based customs broker was recently convicted of wire fraud and conspiracy for his part in a scheme to lie to manufacturers to obtain deeply discounted medical devices intended for export, then divert those devices to customers in the United States. Luis Soto, president of Absolute Freight Services, was convicted after a jury trial where the Justice Department alleged Soto knew his actions as a forwarder contributed to the scheme.
Jon Kent, a lobbyist with Kent & O'Connor who has represented National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America for more than 30 years, will retire before the end of the year. "Jon has been an outstanding advocate for the NCBFAA and his shoes will be big ones to fill," NCBFAA President Amy Magnus stated in an email announcing the move. "During his long tenure with the association, he has demonstrated his ability to properly counsel, cajole and guide officers and committee chairs of NCBFAA, all with different management and leadership styles. We wish Jon the best in this next chapter for him and his family."
Mexico is again allowing more time for importers to comply with new certificate of compliance requirements for some Mexican product standards at the time of entry, the Latin American Confederation of Customs Brokers said in a recent circular. For the second time, an additional 15 days have been added to a grace period that now ends Sept. 10 for importers to obtain a certificate of compliance from a recognized certification body. Until the time period expires, importers that have not yet obtained the certificate may continue their current operations unchanged, as long as they submitted their request to the certification body by June 30 and include a receipt number for the request in their entry documentation. As part of this extension, Mexico announced that it will conduct a review as to why certification bodies have not processed pending requests for certificates, the circular said.
Two letters, one from American for Free Trade, and one from Footwear Distributors & Retailers of America, tell President Donald Trump that tariffs will be passed along to consumers, and ask him to change his mind. On Sept. 1, about $112 billion in goods from China will face an additional 15 percent tariff, and another $160 billion in imports will get the same increase on Dec. 15. Trump also said 25 percent tariffs on $200 billion worth of goods from China will go to 30 percent on Oct. 1, but no Federal Register notice has made that official yet.
The Food and Drug Administration threatened to ban a New York-based company from importing food for five years after a series of outbreaks and a purported lack of cooperation from the company. In a warning letter dated Aug. 26, FDA told Agroson’s that it has been connected to three outbreaks of salmonella related to imported papayas, and threatened to put Agroson’s on import alert or debar the company from importing if it doesn’t respond with actions it is taking to correct the violations.
Mexico recently issued regulations formalizing import restrictions put in place in 2018 meant to protect against the introduction of African swine fever, according to a press release from the Mexican Secretariat of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER). Published on Aug. 15, the new regulations keep in place measures set in 2018 that prohibit the importation of pigs, pork, semen and embryos, as well as containers and vehicles used to transport these animals and animal products.
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters:
NVOs Can Cancel Supplemental Bonds for Services in China Under New Registration Process, NCBFAA Says
Non-vessel operating common carriers (NVOCCs) performing services in China no longer require a cash deposit at a Chinese bank or a supplemental bond on file with the Federal Maritime Commission to register with Chinese authorities, provided that they are licensed or registered with the FMC, according to an update emailed Aug. 19 by the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America. But they don’t have to cancel existing bonds either, the NCBFAA clarified.
Mexico is again allowing more time for importers to comply with new certificate of compliance requirements for some Mexican product standards at the time of entry, the Latin American Confederation of Customs Brokers said in a recent circular. An additional 15 days have been added to a grace period that ended Aug. 12 for importers to obtain a certificate of compliance from a recognized certification body. Until the time period expires, importers that have not yet obtained the certificate may continue their current operations unchanged, as long as they submitted their request to the certification body by May 31 and include a receipt number for the request in their entry documentation. Mexico is granting the extension because of the volume of requests that have been submitted and are still pending the conformity evaluation process, the circular said.
CBP is moving the fall 2019 customs broker license examination to Oct. 17, it said in a notice. Originally scheduled for Oct. 23, the exam is being moved up “due to an unforeseen impediment to optimal conditions for administering the test,” CBP said.