Customs and Trade Law Weekly Snapshot
Here is a recap of the latest customs and international trade law news: 
Customs and Trade Law Weekly Snapshot
Here is a recap of the latest customs and international trade law news:
Ongoing Hoverboard Concerns
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Address Ongoing Litigation & Seizure of one of the hottest toys, the Hoverboard.
Hoverboards, as they are commonly known, are self-balancing two-wheeled electric scooters. They are powered by controversial rechargeable batteries that have recently garnered attention for malfunctioning, causing devices to catch fire and destroy homes. The lithium-ion batteries have been known to overheat, catch fire, and explode without warning.
Several airlines have begun to prohibit transportation of the boards aboard aircraft, due to safety concerns. Amazon.com is placing safety first and offering consumers that have purchased a hoverboard from Amazon a full refund. Hoverboards are also facing additional litigation from Mark Cuban, who potentially has a patent infringement claim against Walmart for selling the devices.
Do You Want to be a “Trusted Trader”? C-TPAT is No Longer Enough
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently published the long awaited Federal Register Notice, dated June 16, 2014, discussing the “Announcement of Trusted Trader Program Test.”
This new “Trusted Trader” program is big news for U.S. and non-resident Canadian importers, and if implemented will combine the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) and Importer Self Assessment (ISA) programs, making ISA extinct. CBP is currently recruiting test companies that have to be willing to go through an 18 month program test. […]
Florida Companies Convicted and Sentenced
In another example of the government's continuing use of the criminal justice system to enforce international trade laws, three Florida companies and their management were recently convicted and sentenced for importing smuggled toys from China containing lead and containing counterfeit trademarks.
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: Not Just Toys and Games
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) officers will target more imported merchandise for safety risk assessments using information filed with U.S. Customs and Border Protection by importers or their customs brokers.