Commercial pre-clearance facilities on the Otay Mesa Port of Entry
By Adina Moloman
Sources: UT San Diego, Fox News Latino
US and Mexican authorities have negotiated a new arrangement to facilitate the flow of legitimate goods across the border. More than70% of truck traffic between California and Mexico travels through San Diego County ports of Entries with approximately 90% passing through Otay Mesa and the rest through Tecate.
The pilot program will begin as a 6-month voluntary program on northbound perishable goods such as fruits and vegetables. The program includes the location of a commercial pre-clearance facility (inspection station) away from the border, near the Otay Mesa port of entry in Tijuana, B.C.
The project involves the U.S. and Mexican authorities approvals and also the participation of many agencies on both sides of the border. The Mexican federal government builds the facility.
The facility includes a laboratory, rooms for cold storage and inspection equipment especially for high-volume, low-risk commodities approved under Customs and Border Protection’s National Agriculture Release Program.
Moving the inspection of trucks away from the border, where the U.S. and Mexican agents can inspect truckloads before they cross into the U.S is a sensible subject especially when it comes the subject over the use of weapons by the U.S Agents operating on Mexican territory.
This pre-clearance inspection will reduce truck congestion, decreasing the amount of time that goods produced in Mexico spend in transit and also will help to reduce air pollution. Costs reductions due to lower shipping costs and by making Mexico Manufacturers and producers more competitive, which can pass on savings to buyers. This new program can reduce long border wait times and facilitate trade and cross border investment.
A second phase of the program includes the expansion of this procedure but now on nonperishable products such as medical devices and consumer electronics.
