Forced Labor Allegations
Under 19 U.S.C. 1307, goods or merchandise manufactured wholly or in part with the use of forced, indentured or convict labor are expressly prohibited from importation into the United States. US Customs is responsible for preventing the entry of products made with forced labor into the US market by investigating and acting upon allegations of forced labor in supply chains. There are currently 54 active or partially active Withold Release Orders (WRO) for goods originating from various countries; however, the majority of WROs relate to Chinese goods. Of the 54 active WROs, 30 have been issued since 2019 - signifying a notable uptick in the issuance of WROs.
As WROs and Customs enforcement continue to increase, importers may find themselves facing numerous issues including detention and potential exclusion/seizure of merchandise. Professionals at 6125 Trade are experienced in seeking release of merchandise detained under WROs and in assisting importers in developing customized trade compliance programs aimed at mitigating the risk of WRO detentions/exclusions.