The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on July 14 the creation of a new unit dedicated to investigating and prosecuting criminal import, trade, and customs fraud.
The Global Trade & Commerce Enforcement Section (GTCES) is part of the DOJ’s National Fraud Enforcement Division, and it will pursue cases involving false country-of-origin declarations, undervalued imports, forced labor in supply chains, and tariff evasion. It will not only investigate and prosecute importers that partake in these illegal activities, but the GTCES will also look at entities that profit from goods that entered the U.S. unlawfully, entities that would include customs brokers, distributors, and other downstream businesses.
