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U.S. Customs and Border Protection has imposed a new import ban on seafood from a fleet of Chinese fishing vessels, after a year-long investigation uncovered what U.S. officials called signs of forced labor within the fleet s operations.
In a statement on Friday, CBP said it had issued what s known as a withhold release order against Dalian Ocean Fishing Co., Ltd., a fishing company based in Dalian, a port city near China s border with North Korea. The agency said it identified at least 11 indicators of forced labor across the company s fleet, including physical violence, withholding of wages, and abusive working and living conditions. The allegations include abuses against many Indonesian workers.
The U.S. banned seafood imports from a fleet of Chinese vessels, accusing the company of using forced laborers from Indonesia. The move follows a string of recent import bans on Chinese goods over forced-labor concerns.
The U.S. banned seafood imports from a fleet of Chinese vessels, accusing the company of using forced laborers from Indonesia. The move follows a string of recent import bans on Chinese goods over forced-labor concerns.