Imports of Textiles and Apparel Restricted Under New Forced Labor Order

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has announced a new withhold release order that, effective Nov. 18, requires the detention at all U.S. ports of entry of textiles, apparel, and garments manufactured in Mauritius by Firemount Group Ltd.

CBP states that this WRO is based on its identification of the following forced labor indicators during its investigation of this company: abuse of vulnerability, debt bondage, deception, and intimidation and threats. CBP said it gathered evidence from interview questionnaires, audio interview recordings and transcripts, open-source non-government organization reports, news media, and academic research.

According to CBP, importers of detained shipments may seek to destroy or export those shipments or demonstrate that the goods were not produced with forced labor.

CBP states that this action brings to 54 the number of WROs the agency is enforcing, along with nine findings, under 19 USC 1307, which prohibits imports of goods made wholly or in part with forced labor, including convict labor.

Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg offers a comprehensive suite of services to help companies address forced labor concerns around the world, including supply chain reviews, due diligence strategies, and proactive remediation. ST&R also maintains a frequently updated web page offering a broad range of information on forced labor-related efforts in the U.S. and around the world. For more information, please contact ST&R at supplychainvisibility@strtrade.com.