U.S. Customs and Border Protection says it has uncovered more than $1 billion in unpaid import duties, marking a major enforcement finding tied to trade law violations. The agency said the missing payments are linked to cases handled under the Enforce and Protect Act, or EAPA.
EAPA is aimed at stopping importers from avoiding antidumping and countervailing duties. Those duties are meant to protect U.S. industries when foreign goods are sold at unfairly low prices or benefit from government subsidies. CBP’s latest figure suggests the scale of alleged duty evasion remains significant.
According to the agency, the unpaid duties are owed to the federal government and stem from importer activity that allegedly sidestepped these trade penalties. The announcement highlights how customs enforcement has become a key part of broader U.S. efforts to police trade practices and recover revenue that should have been collected at the border.
The more than $1 billion total also underscores the financial stakes involved in antidumping and countervailing duty enforcement. For businesses involved in international trade, the case is a reminder that CBP continues to scrutinize import entries and pursue companies suspected of evading lawful duty obligations.
