On February 26, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the Port of New York/Newark conducted an unannounced inspection of a CBP bonded warehouse. The operation aimed to verify if imported merchandise was properly secured and in compliance with CBP protocols for cargo entering the United States. This inspection was carried out in collaboration with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The inspection led to the discovery of 16 individuals working illegally in the warehouse, who were subsequently apprehended and handed over to ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations agents. These operations, known as Fraud Investigation Strike Teams (FIST), have been ongoing at the Port of New York/Newark since 2012. They target facilities identified as non-compliant or potentially non-compliant with customs regulations.
FIST operations focus on Foreign Trade Zones, Bonded Warehouses, and Freight Forwarders within the in-bond system. This system allows merchandise to travel inland before CBP release or transit through the country for export. The operations also identify unauthorized manipulations of commercial merchandise within bonded areas and unauthorized access by employees lacking authority.
Acting Port Director Jeffrey Greene emphasized the importance of such enforcement efforts: “In the current threat climate, enforcement efforts like this one are critical,” he said. “Holding our trade industry partners accountable provides a baseline for operational proficiency.”
Ricky J. Patel, ICE HSI Special Agent in Charge, reiterated HSI's commitment: “This operation underscores HSI’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding the integrity of our trade infrastructure and, in turn, the wellbeing of the public at-large.”
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is recognized as America's frontline law enforcement organization and unified border management agency.
