Hector Samuel Esquijerosa, a 52-year-old Miami resident, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges related to a scheme that illegally imported Chinese-made truck tires into the United States. On December 6, he admitted to working with brokers and suppliers across China, Canada, and the UK to evade anti-dumping and countervailing duties imposed on these tires. The operation involved routing shipments through third countries like Canada and Malaysia to disguise their origin. Esquijerosa, who ran Production Tire Company and Premier Trade Corporation, also submitted fraudulent invoices to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, misrepresenting the tires' country of origin and undervaluing them to lower import duties. This illicit activity resulted in a significant loss of $1.9 million in revenue for the U.S. government. Esquijerosa faces a potential prison sentence of up to five years, with sentencing set for February 2025. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations in Miami.
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