CBP Detained 371 Shipments Over Forced Labor Since October

CBP detained 371 shipments between Oct. 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021, due to the possible use of forced labor on the goods, the agency said in newly updated forced labor statistics. That marks an increase of 281 stopped shipments from the previous release of statistics, when CBP said it detained 90 shipments between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, 2020 (see 2101290050).

The statistics now reflect the broad regional Withhold Release Order on cotton and tomato products from China’s Xinjiang region (see 2101130053), which was issued in January. CBP also issued a major WRO on Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps cotton in early December (see 2012020071).

The agency updates the detention statistics quarterly (see 2103190052), but it is generally wary of providing more detailed information about the goods it stops under a WRO.