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United States Customs Service
Agency overview
Formed	July 31, 1789
Dissolved	March 1, 2003
Superseding agency	U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Jurisdiction	Federal government of the United States
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Parent agency	Department of the Treasury
Website
www.customs.gov

Until March 2003, the United States Customs Service was the portion of the U.S. Federal Government dedicated to keeping illegal products outside of U.S. borders. It also regulated what could leave the United States and was partially responsible for who could enter the United States.

Operations were divided into three components- the first of which was the Office of Field Operations (OFO) which handled duties and tax penalties along with helping to prevent contraband from entering the United States. It was primarily made up of Inspectors that served as the "front-line" of Customs by monitoring and policing all international ports of entry into the United States, (land, sea or air); by screening incoming and outgoing international shipments of cargo; as well as inspecting informal entries of dutiable goods by individuals through personal transport or shipment through international postal carriers (government and private). Inspectors also handled operations regarding smuggling of contraband into the United States and control the exportation of controlled or strategic resources from the United States. Other OFO personnel included Import Specialists, Intelligence Officers, and other contracted personnel responsible for record keeping, handling protest and tax penalty arbitration along with other record support functions.

Import Specialists provided the backbone of OFO by providing expertise concerning proper classification of goods for the purpose of charging duties. The primary resource for determining duty classifications is the two volume Harmonized Tariff Schedule for the United States or HTSUS, which is updated annually. Import Specialists were divided into Commodity Teams (CTs) which are assigned specific types of goods to specialize in. For example: one team may be assigned vehicles, vehicle components and ball bearings and another may be assigned clothing, textiles and toys. Each CT is assigned a more senior Import Specialist whose job it is to train Import Specialists that are new to a particular Commodity Team. These individuals are usually defacto experts in the analysis of goods that they are assigned and are often called upon to physically inspect goods entering (or petitioning to enter) the United States. They are primarily enagaged in activities concerning Formal Entries which are handled by Customs Brokerage Houses, but they also provide assistance in Informal Entries.

The second operational component of the United States Customs Service was the Office of Investigations or "OI." The Office of Investigations consisted of specialized sections of Special Agents that were divided by common crimes regarding international affairs. Primary sections included Financial Crimes, Narcotics, Strategic, and Computer Forensics. The Office of Investigation also included an Internal Affairs section that monitored and investigated allegations of misconduct and criminal activity within both the Office of Investigation and the Office of Field Operations. As part of the reorganization associated with the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, the Office of Investigation was transferred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on March 1, 2003.

The third operational component of the U.S. Customs Service was the Air and Marine Branch. This component was primarily responsible for airborne and waterborne detection and interdiction of smuggled contraband, but also supported OI enforcement operations such as surveillance and the execution of high-risk warrants. Prior to March 1, 2003, the United States Customs Service operated the 8th largest fleet of aircraft in the world. After March 1, 2003 OFO was transferred to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), but the Air and Marine Branch remained with OI in the newly formed ICE. However, by the beginning of 2006 the decision was made to combine the ICE Air and Marine Branch with similar CBP air and marine assets to form CBP Air and Marine Operations (AMO).

Responding to the urgent need for revenue following the American Revolutionary War, the First United States Congress passed and President George Washington signed the Tariff Act of July 4, 1789, which authorized the collection of duties on imported goods. Four weeks later, on July 31, the fifth act of Congress established the United States Customs Service and its ports of entry.

For over 100 years after its birth, the U.S. Customs Service was the primary source of funds for the entire government, and paid for the nation's early growth and infrastructure. Purchases include the Louisiana and Oregon territories; Florida and Alaska; funding the National Road and the Transcontinental Railroad; building many of the nation's lighthouses; the U.S. Military and Naval academies, and Washington D.C.

With the passage of the Homeland Security Act, the U.S. Customs Service passed from under jurisdiction of the Treasury Department to the Department of Homeland Security.

On March 1, 2003, part of the U.S. Customs Service, along with the Inspections Program of the Immigration and Naturalization Service and the Border Patrol of the Immigration and Naturalization Service combined to form U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The Federal Protective Service (FPS), the Federal Air Marshals, along with the investigative arms from both the U.S. Customs Service and the Immigration and Naturalization Service combined to form U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

• All Cuban products without a specific license for their importation, such as Cuban Cigars.
• Illicit Drugs
• Unscreened Fruits and Meats
• Excessive quantities of textiles
• Undeclared liquor over allowable limits
• Tobacco products over allowable limits
• Undeclared monies or monetary instruments over $10,000
• Undeclared firearms and weapons
• Child pornography

This table lists all Commissioners of Customs, their dates of service, and under which administration they served.

• Computer Assisted Passenger Prescreening System
• U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

• United States Customs & Border Protection