CBP issues withhold release order on Brightway Group

Effective December 20, 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel at all U.S. ports of entry will detain disposable gloves produced in Malaysia by Brightway Holdings Sdn Bhd, Laglove (M) Sdn Bhd, and Biopro (M) Sdn Bhd (collectively, Brightway Group).

CBP issued a Withhold Release Order against Brightway Group based on information that reasonably indicates the use of forced labor in that entity’s manufacturing operations. CBP identified 10 of the 11 International Labour Organization’s indicators of forced labor during its investigation.

“Forced Labor is a human rights abuse inflicted upon 25 million people worldwide,” said Chris Magnus,, CBP Commissioner. “CBP will not allow goods tainted with forced labor to make their way into American households and businesses.”

“As Americans, we wholeheartedly reject goods made with forced labor,” said CBP Office of Trade Executive Assistant Commissioner AnnMarie R. Highsmith. “CBP applauds ongoing efforts made by our industry partners to identify and remove forced labor from their supply chains and urges all importers to do the same.”

The International Labour Organization estimates that 25 million workers suffer under conditions of forced labor worldwide. Foreign companies exploit forced labor to sell goods below market value, which hurts law-abiding businesses, threatens American jobs, and exposes consumers to making unethical purchases.

Federal statute 19 U.S.C. 1307 prohibits the importation of merchandise produced, wholly or in part, by convict labor, forced labor, and/or indentured labor, including forced or indentured child labor. CBP detains shipments of goods suspected of being imported in violation of this statute. Importers of detained shipments can export their shipments or demonstrate that the merchandise was not produced with forced labor.

Any person or organization that has reason to believe merchandise produced with the use of forced labor is being, or likely to be, imported into the United States can report detailed allegations by contacting CBP through the e-Allegations Online Trade Violation Reporting System or by calling 1-800-BE-ALERT.