United States enters into customs mutual assistance agreements with Bolivia, Georgia

The United States recently entered into a customs mutual assistance agreement (CMAA) with Bolivia and Georgia, which fosters collaborative efforts in security and facilities trade between the U.S. and both nations.

CMAAs work to provide the legal framework for the exchange of information and evidence to assist countries in enforcing various customs laws, including duty invasion, trafficking, money laundering and terrorism-related situations. Each agreement also serves as a document for information sharing and mutual recognition arrangements.

On hand for the signing ceremony was U.S. Customs and Border Protection Executive Assistant Commissioner for the Office of Trade Brenda Smith, Bolivia’s Executive President of National Customs Marlene Ardaya, and Georgia’s Revenue Service Director-General Giorgi Tabuashvili.

“The legal framework of these agreements strengthen the ties and commitments to exchange information between the United States and these international partners,” Smith said.

Smith continued, stating that the mutual assistance agreements would greatly facilitate U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s work to prevent, detect, and investigate customs offenses.

In total, the United States has entered into 79 different CMAAs with various customs agencies throughout the world.