Commerce Department Secures Win Following First-Time Duty Evasion Filing with CBP under Enforcement Law

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Commerce today highlighted an inaugural successful collaboration with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to combat duty evasion under the Enforce and Protect Act (EAPA). For the first time, in August 2025, the Department of Commerce submitted a duty evasion allegation to U.S. Customs and Border Protection under EAPA. On July 30, 2026, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) determined that antidumping duties are being evaded on imports of carbon and alloy steel threaded rod from India (EAPA Case 8210).

This investigation is a significant milestone for the Trump Administration in its collaborative efforts to combat fraud and evasion of antidumping and countervailing duty orders. Commerce discovered the underlying evasion of the antidumping duty (AD) order on carbon and alloy steel threaded rod from India (A-533-887) and worked with CBP to identify millions of uncollected duties to be recovered.

The investigation targeted 14 importers which were found to be evading existing antidumping measures by claiming they were eligible for a zero percent all-others rate instead of paying the duty rate assigned to their producer or exporter. As a result of the investigation, CBP has taken steps to ensure these importers pay the full duty rates on entries of merchandise subject to the AD order on Indian-origin carbon and alloy steel threaded rod from India.

“We applaud CBP’s finding in this investigation initiated on Commerce’s intelligence that foreign companies are evading payment of antidumping duties,” said Christopher Abbott, Acting Assistant Secretary of Enforcement and Compliance at the Department of Commerce. “We will continue to work with our interagency partners to take immediate action against duty evaders in order to provide a level playing field for American manufacturing.”

Antidumping and countervailing duty laws are critical tools designed to level the playing field for American businesses and workers. These laws counteract unfair pricing practices by foreign companies selling goods below fair market value in the United States and address foreign government subsidies that distort competition. EAPA empowers CBP to investigate and combat schemes that evade the payment of these vital duties and to hold violators accountable. Commerce determines whether dumping or unfair subsidies have occurred and sets the duty rates, while CBP is responsible for enforcing these duties at the border and investigating evasion. This close collaboration between Commerce and CBP is essential to effectively uphold these laws.

CBP has an e-Allegations portal where the public can report to CBP any suspected violations of trade laws or regulations related to imported goods. Any Federal Agency can also use this portal to report customs violations, and to request EAPA investigations.

For more information about ITA’s enforcement work and priority trade issues, visit the Enforcement & Compliance page on Trade.gov and follow @TradeGov on X.