KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 ― The United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has on November 4 banned Smart Glove Corp Sdn Bhd’s rubber gloves from entering all its ports due to alleged forced labour practices.

CBP issued a Withhold Release Order (WRO) against disposable gloves produced by Smart Glove based on information that reasonably indicates that the company’s production facilities utilise forced labour.

CBP identified seven of the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) indicators of forced labour during its investigation.

This happened just two weeks after Supermax Corp Bhd was banned over similar allegations.

 "In the past two years, CBP has set an international standard for ensuring that goods made with forced labour do not enter the US commerce,” CBP acting commissioner Troy Miller said.

"Manufacturers, like Smart Glove, who fail to abide by our laws will face consequences as we root out this inhumane practice from the US supply chain,” he said in a statement.

Federal statute 19 USC 1307 prohibits the importation of merchandise produced, wholly or in part, by convict labour, forced labour, and/or indentured labour, including forced or indentured child labour.

CBP detains shipments of goods suspected of being imported in violation of this statute. Importers of detained shipments have the opportunity to export their shipments or demonstrate that the merchandise was not produced with forced labour. ― Bernama