Manipulation of
origin country to
obtain lower tariffs
Falsely classifying
merchandise to
obtain lower tariffs
Falsifying reducing
a shipment’s
declared value
Splitting a shipment
into multiple
shipments or taking
apart finished goods
into components
Falsifying inflating
a shipment’s
declared value
Common Forms
of Customs Fraud
Falsification of Origin
Misclassification
Undervaluation
Structuring
Overvaluation
The second category involves bad actors attempting to smuggle counterfeit
merchandise, weapons, illegal drugs, endangered wildlife, currency and
other objects, in or out of a country.
Beyond the immediate economic effect, illicit trade and smuggling have
an enormous and damaging impact on society. Illegal trade and money
laundering threaten the rule of law, as they fuel organized crime and are
often employed as a funding source for terror groups.
From counterfeit medical goods to blood diamonds, trafficked wildlife or
cultural artifacts stolen in war, illegal trading activities facilitate criminal
activities that actively harm the public good. Case in point, the smuggling
of counterfeit and expired medical products endangers public health.
Substandard and fake anti-malarial medication causes an estimated
100,000 deaths annually in Sub-Saharan Africa
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Intro
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