NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in Norfolk seized 1,818 automotive radiators valued at $206,513 after discovering they were imported from China using stolen identities.
The enforcement actions occurred in three separate seizures on Sept. 15, Sept. 18 and Sept. 22. The seized shipments, which contained Reach and CarQuest brand radiators, were destined for addresses in Los Angeles, Tempe, Ariz. and Loveland, Colo.
CBP officers initially inspected the shipments between July 21 and Aug. 14 after they arrived from China. Officers detected discrepancies in importation and identification documents, leading them to detain the goods and request further documentation from brokers. Upon contacting the individuals listed as importers of record, officers found that each person denied ordering the commercial cargo or operating an import business. Criminal operators frequently use stolen identities of citizens or legitimate businesses alongside shell companies to move commercial goods across borders, evading tariffs or smuggling contraband.
Federal authorities seized the automotive radiators under 18 U.S. Code § 542, which addresses the entry of goods by means of false statements…