The Customs Handling of Import Export Freight (CHIEF) system is the UK’s former electronic system for processing import and export customs declarations.
It recorded the movement of goods by land, air and sea and was used by importers and exporters to submit customs entries and complete border formalities.
CHIEF has now been replaced by the Customs Declaration Service (CDS) for both import and export. This is a more advanced and scalable system designed to handle post-Brexit trade volumes and integrate with other government platforms.