U.S. Customs Launches Major Crackdown: Mandatory Control Over FCL Inspection and Transportation at LA/LB Ports Effective August 25, 2025

Supply chain participants urgently need to adjust their strategies through forward-looking planning and solid compliance management to ensure smooth trade

To effectively curb the frequent risks of cargo supervision, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officially announced on August 14 that the Ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach (LA/LB) will implement a new container inspection process starting from August 25, 2025.

The core change lies in the mandatory control over the inspection and transportation of Full Container Load (FCL) shipments: for any FCL shipment selected for inspection by the Merchandise Enforcement Team (MET) or Agricultural Quality Inspection (AQI), customs brokers or importers will no longer be allowed to independently choose trucking companies for the transfer process.

Instead, the entire transportation process must be carried out by designated fleets contracted with the Centralized Examination Station (CES). This includes round-trip transportation from the terminal to the inspection site, as well as the transportation of compulsorily returned goods from the inspection station back to the loading terminal.

It is important to note that Less than Container Load (LCL) shipments still retain a certain degree of operational flexibility. Customs brokers and importers can continue to arrange transportation from the terminal to the inspection site on their own, but the specific container pickup operations must comply with the detailed instructions of the customs.

Enhanced Supervision: Severely Rectifying the Chaos of Evading Inspections

This reform stems from the recent serious incidents of evading inspections. Some enterprises abused their independent transportation rights by changing labels, unpacking containers to conceal sensitive goods during transit, and even forging CES delivery records, which seriously undermined the effectiveness of customs supervision.

Under this pressure, port operators strongly demanded the establishment of a “controlled drayage” mechanism, and this adjustment has a clear legal basis.

Core of Supervision: Law Enforcement Focuses of MET and AQI

• Agricultural Quality Inspection (AQI): Strictly prevents the entry of pests, diseases, and non-compliant agricultural products, with a focus on cracking down on undeclared high-risk items such as seeds and live plants.

• Merchandise Enforcement Team (MET): Committed to the compliance inspection of imported goods, often acting in collaboration with institutions such as the FDA. It focuses on supervising electronic products, children’s products, infringing goods, and goods with false declarations.

Under the original model (before August 25, 2025), customs brokers could flexibly dispatch trucking companies with bonded qualifications. Container pickup required an application to the terminal, and transportation to the CES usually required 1-3 days of appointment, with the inspection process taking an average of 3-7 days.

After the new rules take effect, the mandatory use of CES fleets will bring significant changes: fleet scheduling will be uniformly coordinated by the CES, leading to longer waiting times; limited processing capacity at inspection sites may delay the time when goods enter the inspection process; during peak seasons, there may be “queuing for container pickup” due to the monopoly of CES resources.

For time-sensitive goods such as fresh produce and seasonal products, it is recommended to reserve an additional 3-5 days of buffer time for FCL transportation to deal with potential delays.

Current Law Enforcement Priorities: Sustained High-Pressure Situation

1. Illegal Drugs and Health-Threatening Products: In a national operation jointly conducted by CBP and the FDA in early August 2025, 54,843 pieces of illegal drugs (such as unapproved weight-loss injections and botulinum toxin) were seized.

2. Anti-Dumping and Tariff Evasion: From January to August 2025, more than 400 million U.S. dollars in evaded taxes were recovered through the Enforcement and Protection Act (EAPA). The largest single case involved 23 importers diverting goods from China through third countries (such as Indonesia).

3. Intellectual Property Infringement: Clothing, jewelry, sports equipment, children’s toys, and Bluetooth headsets are the key items seized (nearly 20,000 pieces of infringing goods were intercepted in 2024).

Corporate Response: Forward-Looking Layout and Compliance Assurance

1. Reserve Logistics Redundancy: Plan shipments in advance, add 3-5 days of buffer time for FCL transportation; ship in batches to disperse inspection risks.

2. Ensure Accurate Declaration: Guarantee the authenticity and accuracy of key information such as product names, quantities, cargo values, and HS codes; eliminate ambiguous descriptions.

3. Strengthen Compliance Pre-Inspection:

   • For AQI-related goods: Confirm that wooden packaging has IPPC fumigation marks, and attach origin health certificates for agricultural products.

   • For MET high-risk goods: Prepare necessary documents such as FDA registration numbers, FCC certifications, and CPSC test reports for children’s products.

4. Select Professional Partners: Rely on service providers familiar with U.S. customs rules to efficiently handle documents, respond to emergencies, and minimize the risks of delays, losses, and damages.

This round of reform signals CBP’s determination to enhance supervision penetration at key ports. Supply chain participants urgently need to adjust their strategies. Through forward-looking planning and solid compliance management, enterprises can effectively adapt to the new environment and ensure smooth trade.