CBP LA/LB Seaport Details How to Inquire About "Excessive Exams," Etc.
Los Angeles Field Operations of CBP issued Public Bulletin No. LA12-025 to list the types of merchandise exams that CBP conducts at the ports, their basis and the factors affecting the time required to release a shipment. The Bulletin also provides instructions on how the trade can make written inquiry on the frequency of exams for both inbound (import) shipments and outbound (export) shipments, and the information CBP requires in such inquiries. The Bulletin notes that the information provided is specific to the Los Angeles/Long Beach seaport.
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Among other things, the Bulletin said CBP does not charge to conduct examinations, instead, individual commercial service providers, such as terminal operators and centralized exam stations, set fees for facilitating CBP examinations at their facilities.
The Bulletin also lists the basis for its exams for: agriculture examinations, trade examinations (non-agriculture), compliance measurement (CM) examinations (stratified exams), and enforcement examinations.
The Bulletin explains the factors affecting the time required to release a shipment, and the information that must be in written frequency of examination inquiries when the importer or broker has reviewed the volume and frequency of importations against the number of examinations, and a concern still exists that the examination rate is excessive. The information for such inquiries for inbound shipments and outbound shipments is listed.
Email documents@brokerpower.com for a copy of the bulletin, dated 09/26/12.