BIS: Final Rule Issued to Restrict Sale and Import of Connected Vehicles

The U.S. Department of Commerce, through its Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) and the Office of Information and Communications Technology and Services (OICTS), has finalized a measure to protect national security by restricting certain technologies from China and Russia…

What the CCL

The Commerce Control List in all its glory! Did you know that both wind-up toys and chlorine are considered dual-use items (items with both civilian and military or defense applications) and thus on the Commerce Control List (CCL)? In this…

CBP: No Duty Refunds for Adulterated Food Without Proof of Good Faith Entry

This ruling was published in August, and essentially says that adulterated food that leaves customs Custody, is refused entry by the FDA that is exported or destroyed cannot get a duty refund unless you can prove that the food was…

BIS: Key Insights on Regulations, Policies, and High-Profile Cases

The Export Enforcement Year in Review for 2024 is live! This warrants a deeper review. It discusses the Disruptive Tech Strike Force, many court cases, arrests, and penalties, and goes through their updated regulations, policies, and strategies. Read More

301 & Current Events

I screamed at the top of my lungs what’s going on! Check out our casual end-of-year chat about the latest in international trade! Our experts covered a variety of topics and answered audience questions. Watch the video to see what…

USTR: Effective January 2025 Section 301 Tariff Hikes on Chinese Tungsten, Solar Wafers, and Polysilicon

Office of the United States Trade Representative announced tariff increases under Section 301 for imports of tungsten products, wafers, and polysilicon from China. Solar wafers and polysilicon increases to 50% on January 1, 2025, and specified tungsten products increase to…

OFAC: CH Robinson Settles with OFAC for $257,690 Over Apparent Cuba and Iran Sanctions Violations

Office of Foreign Assets Control announced a settlement with CH Robinson for $257,690 which will resolve civil liability for 82 apparent violations. Five of their non-US subsidiaries provided freight brokerage or transportation services for shipments involving Cuba and Iran. They…

Justice: Freight Forwarder Indicted for Scheme to Evade Russian Sanctions

From December 2022 to December 2024, Mazulina allegedly conspired with Russian freight forwarding companies and others to unlawfully ship controlled industrial oil and gas equipment from the United States to Russia via intermediary countries, according to an indictment. In June…

Justice: Hang ‘Cody’ Sun Charged with Conspiracy, Wire Fraud, Smuggling, and Arms Export Violations

Between January 2012 and December 2018, the defendant is alleged to have conspired to unlawfully export approximately 70 drawings containing export-controlled technical data to a company in China. This data, which required a license from the U.S. government under the…

BIS: Bureau of Industry and Security Imposes New Export Controls on High-Tech Items to Pakistan Over Diversion Concerns

Bureau of Industry and Security published a rule that imposes controls on exports, re-exports and transfers on six categories of items going to Pakistan in response to diversion concerns. Those categories are: particle accelerators some stainless / alloy pipes and…

Justice: Former Logistics CEO Pleads Guilty to Export Law Violations Conspired to Ship Goods to Blacklisted Chinese Companies

Justice the former CEO of an international logistics / freight forwarding company plead guilty to conspiring to violate export laws by shipping goods to CN companies on the Entity List. This man knew that the company in CN changed their…

OFAC: $1.1 Million Penalty on U.S. Citizen for 75 Egregious Iran Sanctions Violations Involving Hotel Project

Office of Foreign Assets Control implemented a $1.1 million penalty on an anonymous US person for 75 violations of Iran sanctions. Between 2019 and 2022, that person executed a plan to purchase, reno, and operate a hotel in Iran. They…