CBP: Estimated Duties Value in March Nearly Doubles From February; Audits Skyrocket
Although the number of entry summaries processed by CBP in March slightly rose compared with amounts in January and February this year and March 2024, the amount of identified estimated duties nearly doubled, according to releases from the agency.
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The increase comes as audits more than doubled in March, while the number of shipments stopped for alleged forced labor violations sank.
In March, CBP processed more than 3 million entry summaries valued at more than $352 billion, CBP said last week. This is in contrast to the processing of more than 2.7 million entry summaries in February valued at more than $303 billion; 2.8 million entry summaries in January valued at more than $338 billion; and 2.9 million entry summaries in March 2024 valued at more than $275 billion.
However, CBP nearly doubled the value of estimated duties it could collect. The agency calculated it could collect nearly $15 billion in estimated duties in March, in contrast to nearly $7.6 billion in February, $7.9 billion in January, and $6.2 billion in March 2024.
CBP didn't provide a reason for the monthly sequential increase in identified estimated duties, but it mentioned that it "has successfully implemented 13 tariff-related presidential actions during this Administration and each day collects over $200 million in additional associated revenue."
The agency also continued to say that it "strictly enforces all laws and Presidential directives to secure our economic sovereignty and is fully equipped and ready to collect duties owed for goods subject to tariff and small packages."
Although the estimated value in duties jumped in March, the number of shipments that CBP flagged and stopped for alleged violations in forced labor sank.
CBP stopped 434 shipments valued at more than $2.3 million for alleged prohibited importation under forced labor pretenses in March.
However, in February, CBP stopped 1,024 shipments valued at more than $9.73 million; in January, the agency stopped 1,986 shipments valued at more than $13 million.
In March 2024, CBP stopped 749 shipments valued at more than $32 million for suspected forced labor violations.
CBP also reported last week monthly external revenue figures representing imported goods that were improperly declared.
March's figures were significantly higher than for January or February: CBP says it completed 71 audits in March that identified $310 million in owed duties and fees.
In contrast, CBP said last month that it completed 28 audits in February and identified $2.9 million in owed duties and fees. It also said earlier this year that it completed 30 audits in January that identified $71 million in owed duties and fees.
March's audit figure is the highest since August 2024, when CBP conducted 105 audits and identified $68 million in owed duties and fees.
CBP started publishing auditing statistics in their monthly updates in April 2024.