U.S. Customs Commissioner Alan Bersin has shuffled some of his top managers to fast-track his strategic goal of helping businesses be more competitive by reducing complexity and costs of complying with trade regulations, senior agency officials disclosed.

Assistant Commissioner Daniel Baldwin, who heads the Office of International Trade, has been named executive director of cargo and conveyance security within the Office of Field Operations. Todd Owen, who holds that position, is slated to become director of field operations in Los Angeles. Al Gina, assistant commissioner for international affairs, will replace Baldwin, a Customs and Border Protection official said.

The shakeup is intended to infuse the security-focused Field Operations branch with more expertise on trade policy, as well as add someone with operational enforcement experience within International Trade.

Importers and transportation providers have complained the past decade that CBP has focused almost entirely on adding extra antiterrorist security measures for international shipments and neglected trade functions aimed at catching companies that try to evade duties and trade rules. That puts companies that comply with the laws at a disadvantage.

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