Customs and Border Protection

Overview
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the primary federal agency authorized to seize goods, including IP-infringing goods, upon their arrival in the United States. CBP is also responsible for preventing the entry of goods into the United States that are subject to exclusion orders and assesses penalties against IP infringers when warranted.

CBP’s primary mission is to protect the homeland. CBP is also responsible for carrying out its legacy Customs functions, including trade enforcement. CBP has identified six Priority Trade Issues, one of which is IP enforcement. Within its IP enforcement efforts, CBP gives priority to large value seizures and violations that affect public health and safety or economic security or that have ties to terrorist activity.

Office of International Trade
CBP’s Office of International Trade develops IP enforcement policies and plans, develops national instructions for targeting shipments suspected of carrying IP-infringing goods, writes guidance for assessing penalties and enforcing exclusion orders, and maintains data on IP-related seizures.

Office of Field Operations
The Office of Field Operations oversees implementation of these policies and procedures at 325 U.S. ports of entry. While much of CBP’s IP enforcement activity is carried out by the ports, headquarters staff play an integral role in supporting those efforts, including providing policy and guidance on enforcement priorities and developing systems and technologies to enhance enforcement.

IP Enforcement Activities
Various types of CBP staff play a role in IP enforcement. The only staff that are dedicated exclusively to IP enforcement are international trade specialists, attorneys, and paralegals assigned to the Office of International Trade, and their numbers have fluctuated over time. International Trade Specialists are responsible for performing nationwide targeting for all CBP ports of incoming shipments suspected of carrying IP-infringing goods and for analyzing IP seizure data.