On November 18, 2025, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced the issuance of a Withhold Release Order (WRO) against garments, apparel, and textiles manufactured in Mauritius by Firemount Group Ltd. The WRO follows an investigation into the company where CBP discovered several indicators of forced labor use, including abuse of vulnerability, debt bondage, deception, and intimidation and threats.
The WRO is effective immediately and, therefore, CBP personnel will be detaining at the U.S. port of entry all garments, apparel, and textiles manufactured in Mauritius by Firemount Group Ltd. under the assumption that they have been manufactured using forced labor. In order for any such goods to be released, the importer must prove that they were not made with forced labor or have the goods re-exported. Importers who have purchased covered goods or whose goods get detained under a WRO should seek assistance of legal counsel.
This marks the fourth WRO issued by CBP in 2025 and brings the total number of active WROs to 54.