Correspondence
Email sent to the contact address for Best Food Services LLC.
The email said: "I’m contacting you in light of our latest investigation which concerns the use of forced labor in China’s seafood processing industry, and a link we’ve discovered between a company engaged in such practices and your supply chain – Donggang Jinhui Foodstuff Co. Ltd. We have uncovered evidence that Donggang Jinhui has used North Korean labor after the December 2019 deadline for the repatriation of overseas North Korean workers required under United Nations Security Council sanctions. This evidence shows North Korean labor at Donggang Jinhui’s plant in Liaoning, China, as recently as 2023. Under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), passed in 2017, the U.S. prohibits the import of any goods produced by North Korean nationals unless clear and convincing evidence is provided that indicates the materials were not made with forced labor. According to trade records seen by The Outlaw Ocean Project, Best Food Services LLC was the consignee for shipments of squid products from Donggang Jinhui in 2023. While we understand that you may not be aware of the above issues, we want to ask if Best Food Services LLC has any comment to make in response to this email?"