The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) was established on March 1, 2003 in the Directorate for Border and Transportation Security, Department of Homeland Security.United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the largest federal law enforcement agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security. It is the country's primary border control organization, charged with regulating and facilitating international trade, collecting import duties, as well as enforcing U.S. regulations, including trade, customs and immigration.

Role of CBP in US Trade & Customs

The CBP facilitates lawful trade by ensuring a detailed inspection of the cargo entering the US and collecting import duties wherever applicable. For this purpose, the CBP officers are placed at 328 ports of entry across the country.The CBP officers who work in a fast-paced environment are assigned various duties, some of which are listed below:-

To stringently enforce customs, immigration, and agricultural laws and regulations at the different US ports of entry.

To prevent the illegal trafficking of humans, narcotics, contrabands, banned substances, etc. into the US.To inspect goods, carry out intelligence analysis, examinations, and key law enforcement activities such as apprehension, detention, and arrests related to the arrival and departure of people, conveyances, and merchandise at the ports of entry.

To conduct all the duties assigned to protect the US homeland, enforce federal laws, and assist legitimate trade and travel in a smooth, efficient manner.

To develop, plan, and participate in strategic operations to prevent illegal activities.To communicate with carriers, other agencies, and foreign entities to acquire information and provide regulation on admissibility/compliance.To detect and prevent terrorists and weapons from entering the US.