Mexico’s National Customs Agency (ANAM) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently concluded Operation “Trade Bridge” at the Mesa de Otay port of entry between Tijuana and San Diego, according to a statement released by ANAM.
Executed between October 19 and 23, the operation was structured under principles of mutual sovereignty and coordinated enforcement without subordination between Mexico and the United States.
Targeted Inspection and Enforcement
During the operation, ANAM managed inspection operations from the Mexican terminal, CBP conducted concurrent enforcement actions within U.S. territory.
“Trade Bridge” focused on detecting and curbing commercial fraud involving goods in transit between both nations, particularly electronics and textiles, susceptible to trade violations.
According to the release, the actions targeted potential transshipment operations, undervaluation, inaccurate country-of-origin declarations, and discrepancies in customs documentation.
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80% Targeted Shipments Inspected
These practices can harm legitimate trade, evade customs regulations and duty payments, and cause significant revenue losses for both countries.
Over five days, ANAM and the binational task force jointly unloaded and inspected 80% of the selected shipments. Several shipments were found to have discrepancies or other issues requiring further review.
CBP Oversight
CBP personnel identified potential issues involving declared value, Harmonized System tariff classifications, merchandise descriptions, quantities, and country-of-origin information.
One of the operation’s key outcomes was stronger real-time information exchange between ANAM and CBP.
Working side by side, officials compared U.S. export records, commercial documentation, and Mexican customs data to quickly spot inconsistencies and determine whether shipments met applicable trade requirements.
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Inspection of Goods
The collaboration also helped uncover potential schemes in which goods might pass through intermediary countries or be falsely declared as originating from a country eligible for preferential tariff treatment.
ANAM and CBP will continue coordinating follow-up reviews, including verification of manufacturers, importers, exporters, and documents supporting the declared country of origin.
Working together, both agencies will build on the results of Operation “Trade Bridge” to expand information-sharing channels, coordinate targeted enforcement actions, and improve the timely verification of trade data.
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Combating Commercial Fraud
These efforts will help both agencies detect and disrupt sophisticated commercial fraud schemes, including transshipment operations and improper claims for preferential tariff treatment under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
Operation “Trade Bridge” reflects the shared commitment of the United States and Mexico to facilitating legitimate cross-border trade.
The operation focuses on identifying and addressing commercial practices that weaken economic security and give an unfair advantage over compliant importers, exporters, and manufacturers, the statement concludes.
