2025 China Tariffs: Vietnam Pact Triggers New Era of Transshipment Crackdowns On July 2, 2025 (today), President Trump announced a new trade pact with Vietnam that sends a bold message. It is targeting any country—Vietnam included—that integrates Chinese components into its supply chain, however marginally. This development aligns with the broader trends we’ve been describing
In 2025, the DOJ's Criminal Division elevated trade and customs fraud to a top enforcement priority. Learn what this means for importers, including real risks, whistleblower incentives, and how to protect your company now
Tariff Cheaters Beware: This Week’s $24 Million Wake-Up Call Earlier this week, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision in Island Industries v. Sigma Corp that delivers a clear warning to companies attempting to evade U.S. trade duties: your competitors are watching, and the consequences of cheating can be staggering. This case highlights
New Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Petitions Filed for Hardwood Plywood Imports Introduction On May 22, 2025, new antidumping (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) petitions were filed against imports of hardwood and decorative plywood (“plywood”) from China, Indonesia, and Vietnam. The petition was filed by the Coalition for Fair Trade in Hardwood Plywood. This is a
Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Petitions for L-Lysine from China Introduction On May 28, 2025, new antidumping (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) petitions were filed against imports of L-lysine from China. The petitions were filed by the Lysine Fair Trade Coalition and its individual members: Archer Daniels Midland Company, CJ Bio America, Inc., and Evonik Corporation.
How Willful Blindness and DDP Terms Can Trigger U.S. Customs Liability One of our international trade lawyers once had a client who claimed to have shifted its manufacturing operations from China to Vietnam. Given the growing scrutiny from U.S. Customs and the steep penalties for origin fraud, our attorney strongly urged the client to verify
Chinese Supplier Tariff Advice Leads to Customs Fraud and Jail Time This is part one of a two-part series on the growing legal risks U.S. companies face when importing from China. Today, we focus on a mistake we see far too often: U.S. companies taking tariff compliance advice from their Chinese suppliers. What may sound
The Hidden Risks of Unpaid Tariffs Under DDP Many U.S. companies assume that importing under Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) terms shields them from tariffs. It doesn’t. At our law firm, we’re seeing a sharp rise in cases where buyers thought their overseas seller would handle all duties—only to end up facing unexpected customs bills, seized
THE Guide for Legally Avoiding United States Tariffs 1. The Volatile Trade Landscape – A Real-World Challenge Imagine a small U.S. manufacturing company that depends on certain parts or material inputs that can only be sourced from China. Since returning to office, President Trump has announced new tariffs that have added a 25% cost to
U.S. Import Compliance: Understanding CBP Form 28 and Form 29 Companies importing goods into the United States can sometimes find themselves facing inquiries from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”). These inquiries typically come in the form of a CBP Form 28 – Request for Information or a CBP Form 29 – Notice of Action,
