THCA Customs Inspections

Customs inspections are not rare anomalies—they are a normal risk in cross-border logistics. The difference between a manageable inspection
and a costly mess is almost always the same: documentation coherence.
This page is compliance-first and operational. It is not legal advice, and it does not promise clearance or delivery outcomes.

Start points: /shipping/ · /documentation/ ·
/compliance/ · /legal-status/ · /wholesale/

What customs inspections typically focus on

Inspections generally test one thing: whether the shipment’s story is consistent. If your paperwork and labels disagree, you invite scrutiny.
If your COA is generic or unverifiable, you create uncertainty. If your batch IDs don’t map cleanly, you lose control of the narrative.

Common inspection triggers (what gets shipments flagged)

• Paperwork mismatch: invoice vs packing list vs labels vs COA don’t align.
• Unclear or inconsistent batch identity: missing lot IDs or multiple IDs with no mapping.
• Generic or incomplete COAs: no batch linkage, missing dates/methods/units, or no verification pathway.
• Vague product description: descriptions that look like marketing instead of controlled documentation.
• High-risk routing or carrier exceptions: unusual routing changes, re-label events, or missing scans.
• Packaging/labeling ambiguity: labels missing key identifiers or inconsistent across inner/outer packaging.

If you want the non-negotiable controls, these are the core pages:
Batch traceability ·
Shipping documents ·
COA requirements ·
Lab verification.

The inspection-proof document set (minimum viable coherence)

If your shipment gets held, you want to produce a clean, consistent document set in minutes—not scramble for files across email threads.

Build this packet using: /documentation/shipping-flow/ and
/compliance/shipping-documents/.

COA problems are inspection magnets

A COA is not “proof of anything” unless it is complete, batch-linked, and verifiable. Customs scrutiny often escalates when:

Red flags to eliminate before shipping

• COA lacks batch/lot ID that matches invoice/packing list/labels
• Missing received date, test date(s), or issue date
• Methods/units are unclear, or contaminant panels have no LOQ/LOD where relevant
• Lab identity cannot be verified independently (no portal/QR/report validation path)
• Total THC is presented without explaining calculation approach (buyers should standardize internally)

Fix your COA process using:
/compliance/certificate-of-analysis/,
/documentation/sample-coa/, and
/compliance/lab-verification/.

What to do if a shipment is held

Panic makes you sloppy. Sloppy makes holds worse. Use a controlled response.

Step-by-step hold response

1. Confirm the hold type: carrier hold vs customs hold vs missing paperwork request.
2. Freeze the narrative: don’t send conflicting “extra” documents or revised descriptions unless required and controlled.
3. Send the shipment packet: invoice + packing list + batch map + COAs + verification note (single coherent set).
4. Validate identifiers: ensure the batch/lot IDs match labels and every document exactly (no formatting drift).
5. Document the event internally: time, request details, who responded, what was sent.
6. Escalate appropriately: if needed, involve your import partner or counsel for destination-specific decisions.

If you don’t already have the packet structure, you’re doing this the hard way. Build it now:
/documentation/shipping-flow/.

Buyer controls that reduce inspection damage

1) Traceability discipline

• One batch/lot ID standard (format) used across COAs, invoices, packing lists, and labels.
• Batch map stored with shipment packet.

Reference: /compliance/batch-traceability/.

2) Packaging & labeling coherence

• Labels must match batch IDs and product descriptions on paperwork.
• Receiving logs should include photo proof (outer carton + inner packaging + labels).

Reference: /compliance/packaging-labeling/.

3) Storage/handling controls

• Quality drift creates disputes. Define storage expectations and document receiving condition quickly.

Reference: /compliance/storage-handling/.

4) Quality assurance SOP

• Write acceptance criteria before ordering.
• Define retest/referee lab policy in advance.
• Use retained split samples where risk justifies it.

Reference: /documentation/quality-assurance/.

FAQ

Do you guarantee customs clearance or delivery timelines?

No. Cross-border outcomes depend on destination requirements, enforcement conditions, and carrier handling.
See /shipping/ and /documentation/risk-disclosure/.

What’s the single most common avoidable reason for a hold?

Paperwork inconsistency—especially batch/lot IDs that don’t match across COA, invoice, packing list, and labels.
Fix that with /compliance/batch-traceability/.

If customs asks for “proof,” what should we provide?

Provide a coherent shipment packet: invoice, packing list, batch map, COAs, and verification notes.
Don’t improvise new descriptions midstream. Use /compliance/shipping-documents/.

Does a COA prevent inspection?

No. A COA is one document and can be questioned if it’s incomplete or unverifiable.
Make it decision-grade using COA requirements and
lab verification.

Where do we standardize our internal process end-to-end?

Use /documentation/shipping-flow/ and anchor your standards in
/compliance/.