US blocks sugar imports from top Dominican producer over forced labor concerns

Source: CNN

US blocks sugar imports from top Dominican producer over forced labor concerns

By Jack Guy, CNN
Published 2:13 PM EST, Wed November 23, 2022

(CNN) — US authorities will block imports of sugar produced in the Dominican Republic by company Central Romana, on suspicion of forced labor at its facilities.

US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will detain the company’s raw sugar and sugar-based products at all US ports of entry effective Wednesday, the agency said in a statement published that day, citing “inhumane practices.”

Central Romana is the largest producer of sugar in the Dominican Republic, acording to its website.

The decision to ban its sugar is “based on information that reasonably indicates the use of forced labor in its operations,” reads the CBP statement.

“CBP identified five of the International Labour Organization’s 11 indicators of forced labor during its investigation: abuse of vulnerability, isolation, withholding of wages, abusive working and living conditions, and excessive overtime,” it said.

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Read more: https://edition.cnn.com/2022/11/23/americas/us-blocks-central-romana-sugar-imports-intl-latam/index.html