ABSTRACT
A caveat must be entered what is illegal and fraudulent in the importing country may not necessarily be regarded in the same light in the exporting country - in fact what is denounced as an illegality in the former may be praised as a patriotic endeavour. The intent is good but to be effective the customs officials must have enough financial resources, time and commercial knowledge to do a proper job. 'Voluntary' export restraints and statutory import quotas on goods invite criminals to organise fraudulent exports. It is well-nigh impossible to fit out a Japanese truck with a certificate of origin which plausibly disguises its national paternity. The enforcement staff of the US Customs Service have powers to prosecute commercial criminals who trans-ship goods to cover up the true place of manufacture, falsify certificates of origin, mislabel contents and infringe the copyright of name-brand designs.
