All goods that enter into the United States are subject to examination by Customs or other regulatory agencies. Shipments are examined for purposes of determining whether all the requisite documentation has been provided, whether the documentation is accurate, as well as whether the goods are in compliance with U.S. laws. The examinations are said to be “random,” however I have heard time and again that importers believe Customs has put their company under a microscope while letting their competitors run free. There are generally two types of examinations that Customs utilizes:
1. Partial Examination – A sample is selected from a container load of goods.
2. Intensive Examination – An entire shipment of goods is unloaded and samples are selected randomly from within.
