Correspondence
Email sent to the contact address for Maloney Seafood.
The email said: "I’m contacting you in light of our latest investigation which concerns the use of forced labor in China’s food processing industry, and a link we’ve discovered between a company engaged in such practices and your supply chain.
Your supplier Yantai Sanko Fisheries Co. Ltd. has received persons from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China under the state-imposed labor transfer program as recently as 2022.
The United Nations, human rights organizations and academic experts agree that since 2018, the Chinese government has systematically subjected Xinjiang’s predominantly Muslim ethnic minorities to forced labor across the country via state-sanctioned employment schemes which use coercive methods in worker enrollment. The U.S. has prohibited the importation of goods produced from state-imposed forced labor.
Does Maloney Seafood have any comment or statement to make in light of the above information? Please respond to this email by close of business May 25, 2023."
The Outlaw Ocean Project emailed Maloney Seafood: "We emailed you on May 23 regarding our latest investigation into the use of forced labor in China’s food processing industry, and a link we’ve discovered between a company engaged in such practices and your supply chain called Yantai Sanko Fisheries.
Trade data viewed by The Outlaw Ocean Project shows that Maloney Seafood was the consignee for several shipments of seafood from Yantai Sanko since 2018. Our investigation has uncovered evidence that Yantai Sanko Fisheries Co. Ltd. has received persons from the Xinjiang region of China under the state-imposed labor transfer program since 2019 and as recently as April 2023.
The United Nations, human rights organizations and academic experts agree that since 2018, the Chinese government has systematically subjected Xinjiang’s predominantly Muslim ethnic minorities to forced labor across the country via state-sanctioned employment schemes which use coercive methods in worker enrollment. The U.S. has prohibited the importation of goods produced from state-imposed forced labor.
While we recognize that you may not be aware of the above problems, we wish to ask you if Maloney Seafood has any comment or statement to make in light of the above information? Please let us know by close of business September 27, 2023, noting that all interactions are on record."