The US Government’s Customs and Border Protection (CBP)has banned the importation of diamonds from Zimbabwe saying they are mined through forced labour.
In a statement on Tuesday CPB said this action was based on information obtained and reviewed by CBP that indicates that the products are produced, in whole or in part, using forced labour.
Read the part of the statement below:
Under U.S. law, it is illegal to import goods into the U.S that are made wholly or in part by forced labor, which includes convict labor, indentured labor, and forced or indentured child labor. When sufficient information is available, CBP may detain goods believed to have been produced with forced labor by issuing a WRO.
The Forced Labor Division within CBP’s Office of Trade leads agency enforcement efforts prohibiting the importation of goods made using forced labor. CBP receives allegations of forced labor from a variety of sources, including from the general public.
The following WROs are effective immediately:
• Disposable rubber gloves produced in Malaysia by WRP Asia Pacific Sdn. Bhd.; produced with forced labor.
• Gold mined in artisanal small mines (ASM) in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC); mined from forced labor.
• Rough diamonds from the Marange Diamond Fields in Zimbabwe; mined from forced labor.
