American Samoa's Governor Togiola Tulafono's office says the new container inspection policy has revealed undeclared items hidden within containers.
It says these undeclared goods make their way into the territory and create an uneven playing field for honest importers and retailers who declare and pay full duty on all imported goods.
According to the governor's office, American Samoa has not been receiving the revenues it should have been for years because of growing to inadequate inspections of imports.
The government's new container policy was designed to stem the loss of revenue believed to be related to imported items escaping duty.
