6.3 Customs Violations. Grammar: Phrasal Verbs

Exercise 1. What comes to your mind when you hear of Customs violations? What are the common violations? Read the text to check your answers.

PART I

A wide variety of laws and government regulations apply when people or objects enter or leave the country. For example, various federal agencies establish regulations about food or agricultural products that can leave or enter the country, and all these regulations are considered customs restrictions. Additionally, laws that prohibit the possession of illegal drugs can also be considered customs laws because they also apply to travelers. Though customs laws and regulations can change frequently, common violations occur in one of several areas.

False declarations. Most people encounter customs provisions when they enter the country after an international vacation or business trip. When returning to the country or entering it for the first time, a person must declare the nature and value of any goods he or she has brought along. For example, if you buy gifts for your family while overseas you must declare these upon returning to the country. If you intentionally leave out items, misrepresent their value, or make other false declarations, this can lead to criminal charges.

Exporting violations. A wide variety of products are subject to export limitations and restrictions. Some of these restrictions require you to first obtain an export license before you can legally ship the materials out of the country, while others place restrictions on exports based on the nature of the items, who is receiving them, and what the items' purposes are. For example, it's a customs violation to attempt to export weapons, currency, or other products to terrorist groups.

Importing violations. Importing goods into the country, much like bringing personal items in with you when you travel, is also subject to specific declarations and notifications. All imports are subject to import taxes, known as duties. Trying to conceal the nature of the imports, their origin, value, or nature in an attempt to evade import duties can also be a crime. Individuals can violate importation duties when, for example, they attempt to bring in large amounts of alcohol or tobacco products without paying the required duty.

Smuggling. Various federal laws regulate the possession of specific types of items, such as drugs or weapons. Attempting to bring prohibited items into the country, or bringing people in without going through customs procedures, is known as smuggling. Smuggling can involve a number of specific crimes, depending on the nature of the items smuggled and the actions of those involved.

Exercise 2. Answer the following questions.

1. What is meant by customs restrictions?

2. What are the common areas of Customs violations?

3. What are the typical cases of false declaration?

4. What should you obtain before legally shipping the materials out of the country?

5. How can importing lead to criminal charges?

6. What is smuggling?

Exercise 3. Match left and right. Reproduce the sentences in which these word combinations are used in Part I of the text.

1. establish regulations about	a. criminal charges
2. prohibit the possession of	b. export weapons
3. declare the nature and value of	c. obtain an export license
4. this can lead to	d. illegal drugs
5. restrictions on exports based on	e. food or agricultural products
6. restrictions require you to	f. subject to import taxes
7. it's a customs violation to	g. can also be a crime
8. all imports are	h. the nature of the items
9. an attempt to evade import duties	i. going through customs procedures
10 bringing people in without	j. goods he or she has brought along

Exercise 4. With the help of a dictionary compare the meanings of the words violation, infringement and offence. Which meanings can be useful to you when speaking about Customs violations?

Exercise 5. Find the examples of phrasal verbs in Part I of the text. Reproduce the sentences in which they are used. Can you substitute these verbs?

Exercise 6. Make a list of words you will need to talk about the common Customs violations. Compare your list with another student’s.

Exercise 7. Choose suitable phrasal verbs to fill in the blanks.

1. To get into a building or car using force is to _________.

a. break out b. break down c. break in

2. To steal money from a bank by using force is to __________.

a. hold in b. hold down c. hold up

3. To steal or take something without asking is to _________.

a. run off with b. do without c. do over

4. To hurt someone badly by hitting or kicking is to __________.

a. pull them over b. beat them up c. put one over

5. To kill someone in informal English is to ________ with them.

a. do away b. have away c. stay

6. To destroy something with a bomb is to __________.

a. beat it up b. blow it up c. knock it over

7. To take a criminal to the police is to __________.

a. turn them over b. turn them in c. turn them down

8. To put someone in prison is to ___________.

a. lock them up b. do them in c. blow them up

9. To not punish someone for their crime is to ___________.

a. give them over b. let them off c. put them away

10. To succeed in not being punished for a crime is to __________ it

a. get away with b. make off with c. pick through

Exercise 8. Insert suitable phrasal verbs in the appropriate form in the following sentences. The formal verbs in italics may give you a hint.

to back up to build up to close down to fill in to take up to break down to pick up to put off to meet up with to buy out to turn off to go through to look up (2) to turn up to look after to help out to run out of (2)

1. Keith Sole quickly ____________ (to purchase the shares of (a company, etc) his shareholding to 10% of the company.

2. If we don't stop the losses, the company will have to be ____________ (to cease operations).

3. After you've ____________ (to complete) the form, can you leave it with my secretary?

4. We've ____________ (to construct gradually) trying to get business from small companies.

5. Marvin Steel is in the process of ___________ (to meet with by appointment) many of the smaller shareholders.

6. Could you ask Paul to ____________ (to assist) with arranging the company BBQ at the weekend?

7. If you don't know the meaning of a word, you should ____________ (to discover by resorting to a work of reference) in a dictionary.

8. My plane gets in at 10.30. Could you ____________ (to collect or give a lift to) at around 11?

9. The meeting has been ____________ (to postpone or delay) until 17 April.

10. Have you had an opportunity to ____________ (to support or assist) our evaluation software yet?

11. Don't forget to ____________ (to cause (something) to cease operating by turning a knob, pushing a button, etc) the air-conditioners when you leave the office this evening.

12. I'm afraid to say that the photocopier's ____________ (to cease to function) yet again!

13. I think I'll ____________ (to visit or make contact with) Roger before I go home this evening.

14. During the recession, the company ___________ (to suffer) some difficult times.

15. Mary has decided to ____________ (to agree to or accept) an offer from another company.

16. Whatever you do, don't ____________ (to arrive) to the meeting late.

17. Who will ____________ (to take care of) my children if I have to work full-time?

18. Please call Jane if you ____________ (to spend) any stationery items.

Exercise 9. What do you know about Customs penalties? Read the text to check your answers.

Part II

Violating customs laws can result in significant penalties, both for an individual and any organization involved in the violation. Customs penalties vary depending on the particulars of the violation, but may include civil or criminal penalties. Criminal penalties differ depending on the nature of the crime you're convicted of, but typically include several possible punishments.

• Fines. Criminal fines for customs violation can be significant. A single criminal act can result in fines of anywhere from a few thousand dollars to a million dollars or more.

• Prison. Prison sentences are possible for some customs violations, especially those that involve smuggling. For example, making a false declaration when entering the country can lead to a sentence of up to two years in prison, while violating some export restrictions can result in a 10 year prison sentence per offense.

• Probation. Customs violations can also lead to probation sentences. A person sentenced to probation must serve at least a 12 month sentence, though possibly much longer, during which time he or she must comply with a variety of court imposed rules. These rules limit what the probationer can do, such as requiring the person to report to a probation officer, asking the officer's permission to move or leave the country, staying out of any more trouble with the law, and paying all fines and court costs.

There are special penalties imposed by Customs under the penalty statute for commercial fraud and negligence. Penalties can be assessed at three different levels of culpability, with more severe penalties for offenses committed with greater culpability. These levels of culpability are:

• Negligence: defined by Customs as failure to exercise reasonable care;

• Gross Negligence: defined by Customs as “actual knowledge or wanton disregard”; and,

• Fraud: defined by Customs as “committing a crime voluntarily and intentionally.”