Gerardo Chavez, the president of the San Diego Customs Broker Association, pleaded guilty to organizing a conspiracy to import foreign-made goods in to the U.S. without paying customs duties, said the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California. Another person charged in the case, Carlos Medina, also pleaded guilty, the Justice Department said. As a part of the plea deal, Chavez will cancel his customs broker license, forfeit property, and pay restitution of as much as $18 million.
CBP updated its Trade Transformation document for November, providing some brief information on the customs broker working group that is developing guidance on the role of the brokers in dealing with the Centers for Excellence and Expertise (CEEs). The CEEs are industry-dedicated, virtual locations for entry summary review and are currently in a pilot phase. The virtual locations are hoped to offer a more consistent treatment of goods for each industry, though some concerns remain among brokers and importers.
The National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America will hold its annual conference at the Westin Mission Hills Resort in Rancho Mirage, Calif. April 7-10.
New lobbyist registrations on trade issues include:
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related issues:
Customs Rulings Online Search System (CROSS) was updated Nov. 13 with 208 rulings, bringing the total number of searchable rulings to 174,879. The most recent ruling is dated 11/09/2012.
CBP released its Nov. 14 Customs Bulletin (Vol. 46, No. 47). The bulletin doesn't include any ruling notices or Court of International Trade decisions.
CBP announced the location and agenda for next meeting of the Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations (COAC), Dec. 4 at 1 p.m. (ET) in Washington, D.C. Online registration for webcast and in-person participation is available through Nov. 30, said a notice in the Federal Register Nov. 16.
New lobbyist registrations on trade issues include:
The House Rules Committee on Nov. 13 gave its approval for a closed vote on Russia Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR), thus preventing the addition of amendments that could further slow the process. The bill (HR-6156) would repeal the Jackson-Vanik amendment, which limits U.S. trade with communist countries. The bill being considered includes the so-called Magnitsky rule, which calls for repercussions for Russian leaders thought to be involved in the death of a Russian lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky. The Magnitsky language was a sticking point for several lawmakers involved with the PNTR bill. A vote on the legislation is expected this week. Meanwhile, the Office of Management and Budget said the Obama Administration strongly supports the bill. The OMB statement is (here).