DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

Effective 23 November 2022, the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel at all US ports of entry are ordered to detain raw sugar and sugar-based products produced in the Dominican Republic by Central Romana Corporation Limited (Central Romana), a US corporation.

A note from the CBP indicates that the Withhold Release Order (WRO) against Central Romana was issued based on information that reasonably indicates the use of forced labor in its operations. 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.

“This Withhold Release Order demonstrates CBP’s commitment to protect human rights and international labor standards and to promote a fair and competitive...