PETALING JAYA: The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has directed personnel at all US ports of entry to begin seizing disposable gloves produced by Top Glove Corporation Bhd.
-Advertisement-
The CBP action comes after a statement earlier that it has found “sufficient information” to believe that the glove manufacturer uses forced labour in the production of disposable gloves in Malaysia.
“Today’s forced labour finding is the result of a months-long CBP investigation aimed at preventing goods made by modern slavery from entering US commerce,” said Troy Miller, senior official performing the duties of the CBP commissioner.
“CBP will not tolerate foreign companies’ exploitation of vulnerable workers to sell cheap, unethically-made goods to American consumers.”
Meanwhile, CBP said the recent findings expanded upon a withhold release order (WRO) that CBP issued in July 2020.
-Advertisement-
The WRO issued several months ago was based on “reasonable but not conclusive information” that multiple forced labour indicators existed in Top Glove’s production process.
This included debt bondage, excessive overtime, abusive working and living conditions, and retention of identity documents.
Top Glove has 60 companies within its group and exports to more than 195 countries.
It previously said it was working with CBP to remove the detention order on its subsidiaries, Top Glove Sdn Bhd and TG Medical Sdn Bhd, following the allegations of forced labour.
Earlier today, it said its US counsel are liaising with representatives from the CBP to obtain more information on the alleged use of convict, forced or indentured labour.-FMT