U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) is intensifying its scrutiny of e-commerce shipments over concerns that "bad actors" are taking advantage of shipping loopholes to move materials used to make illegal drugs such as fentanyl.

Typically, the U.S. will allow shipments valued under $800 — known officially as Type 86 entries — to be imported without tax or duty payments, as a means to cut down on costs, and speed up processing times for smaller, low-value goods, oftentimes coming from the e-commerce sector. On May 31, CBP announced that it had suspended a number of brokers from Type 86 entry for imports that posed an "unacceptable compliance risk." 

"When businesses fail to comply with U.S. law, it can have far-reaching effects on the integrity of our trade system and the people reliant on the goods that flow through our ports every day," said acting CBP commissioner Troy Miller, reiterating his concerns that smaller shipments are being used to transport materials for synthetic drugs. 

Suspended brokers will be able to apply for reinstatement after presenting and implementing a "remedial action plan" to get back in compliance.