Wood packaging fines begin today

Wood packaging fines begin today U.S. Customs and Border Protection, starting today, may issue claims for liquidated damages and penalties against importers, carriers or bonded custodians for importing wood packaging material in violation of regulations designed to keep invasive pests like the Asian long-horned beetle out of the United States.
   The United States has had new wood packaging material regulations in full enforcement since July 5, 2006.
   The regulations require all wood packaging material entering or transiting through the United States to be free of pests and to be properly marked to indicate that it has been either heat treated or treated with methyl bromide.
   When violations occur, liquidated damages and/or penalties will be assessed based on the value of the wood packaging and the value of the commodity or commodities identified for importation on the entry documentation. The liquidated damages claim may be up to three times the entered value of the merchandise but not greater than the bond amount.
   In addition, any noncompliant wood packaging must be immediately re-exported at the violators cost.