U.S. and Mexican officials say border wait times will decrease thanks to a new cargo pre-inspection facility unveiled Tuesday.
Customs officials from both nations will work side-by-side to inspect certain agricultural shipments at the new facility, located in the Mesa de Otay section of Tijuana.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection commissioner Gil Kerlikowske said the newly launched pilot program will decrease traffic and make trade between the U.S. and Mexico cheaper and more efficient.
"It's important that we coordinate with our international partners not only as governments, but also as trade stakeholders," he said.
Mexico's finance minister Luis Videgaray, another speaker at the event, said facilitating exports had become an economic priority for Mexico.
The program — the second of three planned for the U.S.-Mexico border — required Mexico to change its firearms law to permit foreign immigration officials to carry guns on Mexican soil.
Officials said the value of trade between the U.S. and Mexico adds up to about $1.45 billion dollars each day.
