United States Of America : Customs See 600% Increase In Smuggled Clothing Seizures

The US Customs Service has seen a six-fold increase in seizures of smuggled clothing and fabric in 2002, up to $45m from $7.8m in 2001, according to reporters.

China is thought to be the culprit for most of the illegal shipments, which are hitting the US in both lost revenues and job losses in the domestic industry.

Textiles and apparel represent about 45% of all the duties the U.S. Customs Service collects annually, and account for about $80bn worth of US imports each year. However, Janet Labuda, director of the textile enforcement division at the US Customs Office of Field Operations, claimed the seizures represent a small fraction of the illegal trade. "We're not catching most of what's going on," she was reported as saying.