U.S. Halts Imports of Rough Gems From Zimbabwe's Marange Fields

(Bloomberg) -- The U.S. halted the import of rough diamonds from Zimbabwe’s Marange fields with immediate effect due to concerns about possible forced labor, the country’s Customs and Border Protection agency said.

“This action was based on information obtained and reviewed by CBP that indicates that the products are produced, in whole or in part, using forced labor,” it said in a statement on its website.

The agency also issued a so-called withhold release order, which prevents goods suspected of being produced using forced labor from entering the U.S., on gold from artisanal mines in the eastern parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo, it said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Alastair Reed in Edinburgh at areed12@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Hilton Shone at hshone@bloomberg.net, Antony Sguazzin

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