NORFOLK, Virginia - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers recently seized scooters, vehicle headlamps, and folding chairs that violated vehicle or consumer safety standards recently in Norfolk, Va.

On April 14, CBP officers seized 105 scooters being shipped from China to Ontario, Calif., and the following day, CBP officers seized 30 LED vehicle headlamps that were being shipped from China to Sacramento, Calif. The scooters and headlamps violated National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regulations. The shipment of scooters was appraised at a little more than $50,000, and the headlamps were appraised at about $1,400.

On April 20, CBP officers seized nearly 2,600 upholstered folding chairs after they confirmed with the Consumer Product Safety Commission that the chairs violated the Flammable Fabrics Act. The shipment of folding chairs, which was being shipped China to Diamond Bar, Calif., were appraised at about $18,000.

In each seizure, CBP officers inspected and detained the products once they arrived in Norfolk, consulted with trade experts at CBP's Center of Excellence and Expertise and with partners at NHTSA and CPSC to determine each product's admissibility.

"Customs and Border Protection officers have a very complex responsibility which includes protecting consumers and we do that by inspecting imported consumer goods to ensure that they comply with all applicable health and safety standards," said CBP Area Port Director Keri Brady, Area Port of Norfolk - Newport News. "CBP relies heavily on the expertise of NHTSA, CPSC, and our other federal safety agency partners to help us identify and intercept potentially harmful commodities at our nation's ports of entry."

As an individual consumer or a business owner, the Internet has made it easy to find and purchase items from almost anywhere in the world. However, many are discovering that getting a foreign-bought item successfully delivered to the United States is much more complicated.

When goods move from any foreign country to the United States, they are being imported. When you buy goods from foreign sources, you become the importer. And it is the importer's responsibility for assuring that the goods comply with a variety of both state and federal government import regulations. Importing goods that are unsafe, that fail to meet health code requirements, or that violate quota restrictions could end up costing you quite a bit of money in fines and penalties. At the very least, such goods would be detained, and possibly destroyed, by CBP.

CBP provides basic import information about admissibility requirements and the clearance process for e-commerce goods and encourages buyers to confirm that their purchases and the importation of those purchases comply with all state and federal regulations.

CBP's border security mission is led at our nation's Ports of Entry by CBP officers and agriculture specialists from the Office of Field Operations. CBP screens international travelers and cargo and searches for illicit narcotics, unreported currency, weapons, counterfeit consumer goods, prohibited agriculture, invasive weeds and pests, and other illicit products that could potentially harm the American public, U.S. businesses, and our nation's safety and economic vitality.

Click on CBP enforcement stats to see what else CBP accomplished while protecting our national security and enforcing U.S. laws. Learn more at https://www.CBP.gov.

Follow the Director of CBP's Baltimore Field Office on X @DFOBaltimore for breaking news, current events, human interest stories and photos, and CBP's Office of Field Operations on Instagram @cbpfieldops.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is America's frontline: the nation's largest law enforcement organization and the world's first unified border management agency. The 69,000+ men and women of CBP protect America on the ground, in the air, and on the seas. We enforce safe, lawful travel and trade and ensure our country's economic prosperity. We enhance the nation's security through innovation, intelligence, collaboration, and trust.

• Topics
• CBP Officers
• Enforcement
• Office of Field Operations
• Trade Enforcement