USPS and CBP haven’t implemented a law that would target International Opioids, the law relies on data instead of canines, but the data
is ‘unreliable’
In 2018, Congress passed the Synthetic Trafficking and Overdose Prevention (STOP) Act, which mandated that all international packages received from foreign countries would need to be appropriately marked with what is known as ‘Advanced Electronic Data’ (AED). Private delivery services like UPS and FedEx are already required by law to only accept international shipments with AED. The Inspector-General recently commented that the USPS is ‘substantially challenged’ to be compliant with the STOP act by January 1, 2021, which is when the law kicks in. 57% of international packages received by the postal service had the necessary AED in 2018, the USPS reported, but nearly all of the data was also deemed ‘unreliable.’
Packages that are flown in from overseas to the US are first inspected by Customs and Border Patrol (CBP). Before the STOP Act, opioid shipments were intercepted by CBP officers with the use of K-9 teams. In spite of this, in 2018, 12% of the packages flagged by the CBP to be further inspected by the USPS did not receive the requested follow-up inspection. The AED is set to replace the drug-sniffing canines, but the law’s implementation has been almost non-existent.
A big proponent of the STOP Act, Republican Senator Rob Portman of Ohio, has placed the blame for this on the agencies themselves, USPS and CBP, for not moving quickly enough to be compliant with the AED mandate. However, the Trump Administration, which pushed Congress to pass the legislation in response to the nation’s opioid crisis, has not yet provided the needed guidance for its implementation. For example, what specific data is needed to be lawfully accepted AED has not been given. The Executive Branch has chosen not to take any action on either overseeing or ensuring the law’s stipulations are being enforced.
The Inspector-General noted in their report that the USPS is working with countries that need expertise and financial support in developing “AED capabilities.” The mandate set to be imposed at the beginning of 2021 is “out of reach,” the IG continued, but the postal service is taking the necessary steps to reach compliance with the STOP Act.
Until Next Time,
**Written by Benjamin Derge, Financial Planner. The information has been obtained from sources considered reliable but we do not guarantee that the foregoing material is accurate or complete. Any opinions are those of Benjamin Derge and not necessarily those of RJFS or Raymond James. Links are being provided for information purposes only. Expressions of opinion are as of this date and are subject to change without notice. Raymond James is not affiliated with and does not endorse, authorize, or sponsor any of the listed websites or their respective sponsors.
Dogs at CBP, AED, STOP Act