4 Ways To Help CBP Curb Shell Co. Import Schemes

Partner Carrie Owens and associate Matthew Martin authored ​“4 Ways To Help CBP Curb Shell Co. Import Schemes” for Law360. The article details four reforms for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) that would improve the agency’s ability to enforce trade laws and curb tariff evasion by shell companies. Shell companies, or companies that exist only on paper, are capable of perpetrating tariff evasion on a massive scale. 

Carrie and Matt provide four ways that CBP could better disrupt illicit trade, including requiring U.S. importers of record to own a U.S. bank account, and leveraging the existing authorities and resources of the intelligence community. 

“Shifting to a proactive rather than reactive enforcement posture requires CBP to be equipped with enhanced investigative authorities, better intelligence support, and mechanisms to identify and hold accountable the ultimate illicit actors. The four proposals outlined in this article may help CBP in addressing the growing problem of shell companies evading tariffs and facilitating unlawful trade.”

Read the full article here.