[username444]

As far as I'm aware, this applies to the person filing the documents. If a person does this on behalf of a company without referencing the company, he's personally liable. If the company is listed on the paperwork, they'd be flagged.

There's a big difference between sending something personally at the post office, and registering as an exporter/importer. If you're registered, you use your broker account number.

Can the company have thousands of employees attempt to send packages personally? Sure. But if discovered, the company would itself be shitlisted, with probably no way to undo it. The executives and any company that helped facilitate the fraud would be investigated.

I can't speak to whether the CBP maintains employment data or affiliations, but my guess would be yes. I'm sure they have back-office integrations with the NSA.

Misrepresenting information is lying under oath to a government agent. Even honest to God mistakes will get you fined, and flag you for closer inspection in the future.

As a non US citizen, the CBP is scary. I've been to exporter training sessions put on by them jointly with brokers and lawyers. I can't stress how seriously they take this, and how far their influence reaches. Even as a US citizen, I'd find them scary.

[em-bee]

it wouldn't be hard to create another company to do this either.

[username444]

Yes, it would. The application process is a bitch, and fairly invasive. This isn't something you can churn and burn.

[ryanmercer]

If they wanted a legal entity with legal protection and create a brand new company sure.

You can go buy shelf companies (companies that have been previously created and are presently unused) online all day long and effectively take instant delivery however.

And if they just wanted to be blackhat about it, you can go to the IRS website and generate an EIN (tax ID for companies) in a few clicks without showing any identification or documentation and then you just need a place to receive packages or have the packages held for pickup at the carrier.

You can also just go hire random people to accept delivery or pickup your packages. Those dealing in AAS (steroids), recreational drugs, carded merchandise etc do this regularly.

Crime exists because, more often than not, it's painfully easy.

[username444]

Shelf companies is an interesting approach I hadn't considered.

I wouldn't call anything you described easy, but I'm not a nation state trying to illegal smuggle banned goods. I disagree that you can churn and burn these, but you've made a good point.