Another Detention Order Issued by CBP on Hair Products From China's Xinjiang Region

CBP issued a withhold release order for imported hair products “made wholly or in part with hair products produced by Lop County Meixin Hair Product Co. Ltd. (Meixin) in Xinjiang, China,” CBP said in a news release. The WRO was issued due to suspicions of forced labor use and is effective as of June 17, CBP said. The agency issued a similar WRO in May on hair products made by another company in the region (see 2005010040).

CBP said the WRO is based on information that “reasonably indicated the use of prison labor with additional situations of forced labor including, but not limited to, excessive overtime, withholding of wages and restriction of movement.” Brenda Smith, executive assistant commissioner of CBP’s Office of Trade, said “the use of forced labor is not just a serious human rights issue, but also brings about unfair competition in our global supply chains.”

Under the WRO, CBP will detain such cargo at all ports of entry. Importers of the goods can either reexport the detained shipments or provide information to CBP to demonstrate the goods are not in violation. The use of forced labor by Uighur Muslims in the Xinjiang region has gotten new attention from lawmakers in recent months (see 2003180037).