This week, a joint operation by the U.S. Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) uncovered serious hazardous materials violations at the Port of New York and New Jersey.

During three spot inspections conducted by Coast Guard Sector New York, 60% of the containers checked were found to be non-compliant with dangerous goods regulations.

The heightened enforcement was based on container screening data from CBP, aimed at identifying undeclared hazardous materials that could endanger port safety and vessel crews. Over the past year, enhanced inter-agency cooperation has yielded significant results. When CBP identifies suspicious items during container scans, alerts are sent to the Coast Guard, which then conducts targeted inspections to detect concealed hazardous goods.

“CBP’s precise targeting capabilities are helping us act faster and more accurately,” said Lt. Cmdr. Paul Civetta, Deputy for Prevention at Coast Guard Sector New York.

The operation focused on preventing the illegal export of hazardous and stolen items through terminals in Newark, New Jersey, and Brooklyn.

Inspection efforts were intensified following the success of “Operation Terminus” in February. This five-day, multi-agency campaign led to the seizure of eight undeclared hazardous materials containers and $88,000 in penalties for shippers. Authorities also intercepted 33 stolen vehicles valued at over $2.4 million that were bound for West African countries.

These measures helped avert potential disasters, as many of the seized shipments included improperly handled hazardous materials, such as vehicles with batteries still connected or gas-filled tanks—posing serious fire and explosion risks.

Launched in February 2023, Operation Terminus is a joint initiative involving the Coast Guard, CBP, Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, and local law enforcement. It specifically targets illegal vehicle exports and dangerous goods violations.

“Identifying and seizing these dangerous shipments and stolen vehicles underscores our commitment to port safety,” said Petty Officer Third Class Kenadi Kane, a marine science technician with the Coast Guard who specializes in container inspections.

The Coast Guard in New York continues to strengthen partnerships to enhance port security, safeguard the integrity of the supply chain, and prevent criminal organizations from exploiting maritime routes.