U.S., Uruguay customs strengthen collaboration

   The United States signed a Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement last week with Uruguay.
   The bilateral agreement helps the U.S. and Uruguay’s respective customs administrations to prevent and investigate customs offenses, including duty evasion, trafficking, proliferation, money laundering and terrorism-related activities. CMAAs also serve as foundational documents for subsequent information-sharing arrangements.
   “Customs authorities around the globe are securing nations and communities against the threat of terrorism and transnational crime while facilitating legitimate commerce,” said CBP Commissioner R. Gil Kerlikowske in a statement. “This agreement strengthens our nations’ resilience against threats by expanding cooperation and information sharing with our international partners.”
   “This agreement will enable our customs officials to expand our efforts to protect our borders through the timely and secure exchange of information,” added Thomas Winkowski, principal deputy assistant secretary for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “We look forward to future opportunities for collaborative enforcement efforts with Uruguay’s Dirección Nacional de Aduanas.”
   With this new agreement, CBP and ICE now have 69 CMAAs with other customs administrations worldwide.