Interagency Collaboration Enhances Targeting of Dangerous Imports
WASHINGTON — U.S. Customs and Border Protection and its partner government agencies gathered today to celebrate the five-year anniversary of the Commercial Targeting and Analysis Center (CTAC) in Washington, D.C.
“CBP’s Commercial Targeting and Analysis Center has aligned U.S. government efforts in trade enforcement resulting in the interception of millions of dangerous, illegally imported products,” said Commissioner R. Gil Kerlikowske. “I couldn’t be more proud of the Center and their efforts to protect the American people.”
Since its creation in 2010, the CTAC’s targeting efforts have resulted in the seizure of more than 6 million unsafe products on behalf of the CTAC’s partner government agencies.
The CTAC combines resources, personnel and expertise from multiple government agencies to prevent the importation of unsafe products that could harm the American public. The CTAC accomplishes this through improved communication, information-sharing and by reducing redundant inspection activities.
Through CTAC, CBP officers and import specialists at the nation’s ports of entry benefit from the enhanced collaboration among partner agencies focused on intercepting hazardous, illegally imported products.
Today at the CTAC, 11 federal agencies work together, leverage their collective resources, expertise, and authorities to identify shipments that may present a risk to public health and safety.
In addition to CBP, partner agencies represented at CTAC include:
- Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
- Consumer Product Safety Commission
- Environmental Protection Agency
- Fish and Wildlife Service
- Food and Drug Administration
- Food Safety and Inspection Service
- Homeland Security Investigations
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- National Marine Fisheries Service
- Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
“Colocation at the CTAC furthers the development of innovative targeting strategies and faster, more informed decision-making on what shipments require additional scrutiny due to potential import safety risks,” said Brenda Smith, CBP’s assistant commissioner for International Trade.