Human rights violation triggers CBP action against Chinese company

U.S. Customs and Border Protection said it will block the entry of any sweetener made with forced labor into the nation.    U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will detain at ports of entry all shipments of stevia extracts and their derivatives produced by PureCircle Ltd. in China after an investigation determined that the sweeteners are produced with the use of convict labor, the agency announced Wednesday.
   Importers of detained shipments have the opportunity to demonstrate that the merchandise was not produced with forced labor.
   The Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act that went into effect in March gave CBP more power to step up enforcement of the ban on importation of merchandise produced overseas with the use of child or slave labor. The law closed a loophole that allowed such products to be admitted into the United States if there was not enough supply to meet domestic demand.
   Human rights groups have since filed several complaints that have triggered CBP investigations.
   In April, CBP prohibited ports from releasing into U.S. commerce imports of commodities manufactured or mined by two Chinese companies that allegedly utilize convict labor in their operations.
   “It is imperative that companies examine their supply chains to understand product sourcing and the labor used to generate their products,” CBP Commissioner Gil Kerlikowske said in a statement. “CBP is committed to ensuring U.S. values outweigh economic expediency and as part of its trade enforcement responsibilities, will work to ensure products made with forced labor do not cross our borders.”