CIT Dismisses Importer's Suit on Premature Liquidation in EAPA Case

The Court of International Trade on Sept. 4 dismissed a case from importer InterGlobal Forest challenging CBP's premature liquidation of hardwood plywood entries subject to an Enforce and Protect Act investigation after the company failed to state a reason to continue the case. In a previous order, Judge Mark Barnett noted that after litigation led to a negative evasion finding, CBP reliquidated InterGlobal's entries and canceled the bills for the payment of duties (InterGlobal Forest v. United States, CIT # 20-00155).

Since InterGlobal didn't give the court a reason to continue the case, Barnett found the issue moot.

The move comes after the other two plaintiffs in the case, Vietnam Finewood Co. and Far East American, dismissed the action regarding their claims (see 2408260007). The companies said they received "partial refunds" and that the rest of the money at issue is "caught up in issues that have caused extraordinary delays not involved with the merits of the appeal or CBP's apparent willingness to work" with the companies to "ultimately effect the refunds in total."