Advance manifest review leads to weapons seizure in Portland, Ore.

Advance manifest review leads to weapons seizure in Portland, Ore.    The U.S. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection in Portland, Ore., seized a large shipment of small arms and ammunition magazines on route from China to an arms dealer in El Salvador.
   Inspectors discovered the shipment during an automated manifest review of import and transit cargoes on the vessel “Nordstrand,” prior to its arrival in Portland. The agency off-loaded the 20-foot container.
   Licensing documentation is required for in-transit weapons shipments under the State Department’s International Traffic in Arms Regulations. No documentation accompanied the El Salvador-bound shipment.
   Customs and Border Protection seized 780 handguns, 950 magazines, and 150 pistol grip shotguns. Another 300 standard pump shotguns were seized for false manifesting, and have been referred for licensing determination by the Office of Foreign Assets Control.
   In the ongoing war against terrorism, Customs and Border Protection began requiring manifests from vessel operators and freight consolidators for all in-bound containers prior to loading on U.S.-bound ships.