NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Mark A. Strauss Law PLLC, a whistleblower law firm, is encouraging customs fraud whistleblowers to contact whistleblower attorney Mark A. Strauss for a free consultation if they have information regarding the transshipment of Chinese-produced goods through other countries like Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and Taiwan to evade U.S. Section 301 tariffs. Whistleblowers stand to receive awards of 15%-30% of any recovery under the U.S. False Claims Act.

The U.S. imposes punitive Section 301 tariffs of up to 25% on more than $300 billion in Chinese imports, impacting hundreds of Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) categories in manufacturing, energy, technology, and other sectors. Many companies have lawfully circumvented these duties by relocating their manufacturing to countries other than China.

然而，其他公司显然是通过转运来非法规避301条款的关税--通过第三国的进口路线来掩盖其真正的 "原产国 "的欺诈行为。转运商虚假地将其货物重新标记为第三国的产品，并向美国海关和边境保护局（CBP）错误地申报其产地。他们还可能在第三国进行小规模的加工或精加工，作为以后声称货物在那里经历了 "实质性转变 "的借口，这将使原产国的重新指定合法化。

Trade data suggest that transshipment is rampant, and that Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and Taiwan are significant “hubs” for illegally transshipped Chinese goods.

Import duty evasion violates the False Claims Act, which imposes substantial liability on parties that defraud the U.S. government or its agencies like CBP. Customs fraud injures law-abiding importers and American taxpayers. The False Claims Act’s whistleblower—also known as qui tam—provisions authorize private parties to sue on behalf of the government and share in any recovery. Whistleblowers can be from any country.

Whistleblower lawyer Mark A. Strauss’ call for transshipment whistleblowers comes as the U.S. Commerce Department investigates whether imports of solar panels from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam are circumventing anti-dumping duties on Chinese solar materials. A California rival alleges producers in those countries are skirting the duties by assembling panels there using Chinese components.

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