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DOCUMENT RESOME
07132 - (B2547569]
Customs' Cargo Processing: Fewer but More Intensive Inspections
Are in Order. GGD-78-79; B-114898. September 7, 1978. 25 pp. + 2
appendices (6 pp.).
Report to the Congress; by Elmer B. Staats, Comptroller General.
Ccntact: General Government Div.
Budget Function: General Government: Other General Government
(806); Law Enforcement and Justice: Federal Law Enforcement
and Prosecution (751).
Otganizaticn Concerned: Department of the Treasury; United
States Customs Service.
Congressional Relevance: House Committee on Ways and Means;
Senate Committee on Finance; Congress.
uthority: Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (19 U.S.C. 1499). H.R.
8149 (95th Cong.).
The U.S. Customs Service's wission since 1789 has been
to collect the revenue on imports and to prevent imprcper entry
of goods. During fiscal year 1977, over $152 billion worth of
merchandise was imported which required the ins'ection of
merchandise for 7.4 million shipments, inspect±on of 3.9 million
freight carriers, and processing of abont 3.7 %'llion separate
commercial cargo entries. This workload forces Customs either to
perform very limited insperctions or to seriously impede the flow
of imported cargo. Findings/Conclusions: Rather than impede
trade, Customs makes liaited inspections that are seldom
effective and do not ensure compliance with laws and regulations
governing imports. Quantities and merchandise descriptions are
seldom verified. Customs agencies in other ccuntries have chosen
to concentrate on thorough inspections of fewer items based on
the belief that inspecting a limited number of items, selected
on sound criteria, effectively deters violations and negates the
need to inspect every item. This approach is similar to that
used successfully by the Internal Revenue Service to select tax
returns for audit. A selective cargo inspection system
containing the elements of scientific random selection, specific
selection, and postaudit would allow Customh to make fewer but
more comprehensive inspections. Scientific random selection
would deter violations because importers would never know which
shipments ould be selected, and specific selection wculi ensure
that high risk shipments would be inspected. Recommendations:
The Secretary of the Treasury should direct the commissioner of
Customs to develop a plan for a selective cargo inspection
syston that provides for intensive insFection of shipments
selected on a scientific random basis and for intensive
inspection cf Flome shipments selected on the basis of sound
criteria. After the plan is developed, the Secretary should
submit it to the Congress for review. The Congress should amend
the Tariff Act of 1930 to allow Customs to adopt a comprehensive
salective cargo inspection system. (RES)](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.gao/gaobaaxzi0001&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)