U.S. Customs and Border Protection recently announced it has been detaining merchandise from three companies that use North Korean labor.
On Dec. 5, CBP began detaining merchandise produced or manufactured by Jingde Trading, Rixin Foods and Zhejiang Sunrise Garment Group at all U.S. ports of entry, according to a Dec. 27 news release. A CBP investigation found the companies use North Korean labor in their supply chains in violation of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act.
"CBP is committed to keeping America's supply chains free of goods produced with forced labor and to eliminating this horrific practice," CBP Office of Trade Executive Assistant Commissioner AnnMarie R. Highsmith said in the release. "North Korea's forced labor system operates both domestically and internationally and supports the North Korean government's weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs, and it is also a major human rights violation. Legally and morally, we cannot allow these goods into our commerce."
CAATSA prohibits importation into the U.S. of products made by North Koreans "anywhere in the world, unless clear and convincing evidence is provided" the products were not made with forced labor "at any stage of the production process," the news release said.
CBP gives 30 days notice of detention to prove the detained products were completely free of North Korean forced labor, according to the release.
"If the importer fails to provide clear and convincing evidence within this timeframe, the merchandise may be subject to seizure and forfeiture," the news release said.
