AMN / WASHINGTON
The United States has announced that it is stopping imports from five countries for suspected forced labour.
In a statement, the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) department, said that it has ordered immediate detention of goods coming from companies based in Brazil, China, Malaysia, Congo, and Zimbabwe at US ports of entry for further investigation. Clothing, gold, and diamonds produced, in whole or in part, using forced labour have been detained. An official of the CBP said the companies can re-export the detained shipments or submit information to show they are legal.
Under US law, it is illegal to import goods into the US that are made by forced labour, which includes convict labour, indentured labour, and forced or indentured child labour.