Thousands of Volkswagen Group luxury cars have been seized by US customs due to alleged violations of forced labor laws, the Financial Times reported this week.
Several thousand Audi’s and around 1,000 Porsche’s, as well as several hundred Bentleys, are being impounded in US ports after the authorities found a component in the vehicles that was allegedly made through forced labor in western China’s Uygur region.
The luxury car brands have common ownership under the Volkswagen Group. The German carmaker has decided to delay deliveries while the electronic components suspected of breaching the law are replaced, the outlet said, citing people familiar with the issue.
According to the outlet, the process may take until the end of March due to the number of vehicles involved.
Under the 2021 law called the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), imports from Xinjiang region are banned due to the presumption that they were made with forced labor, a ruling that does not count for Microsoft and other tech companies are involved.
When we receive information on human rights risks or potential infringements, we strive to remedy them as quickly as possible, Volkswagen said in a statement.
As soon as we received information of allegations regarding one of our sub-suppliers, we have been investigating the matter.
This is not the first time the car manufacturer has been linked to claims of forced labor in China. Volkswagen has a facility in Xinjiang’s capital, Urumqi, which human rights advocates have raised concerns over regarding the use of forced labor.
The carmaker reportedly claimed it was not aware of the origin of the components as they were sourced by an indirect supplier. Volkswagen alerted the US authorities as soon as it was notified that the parts came from western China.
The development comes as Volkswagen strives to balance its falling sales in China with the desire to increase its presence in the USA, at a time of growing political tension between the two countries.
RT. com / ABC Flash Point News 2024.
Like the article mentions, the US tech giants are still using Uyghur slave labor to cash in huge profits?
Another nail for Germany’s coffin.
Spot on LS !
Just another version of a sanction on a country-“do as we say –or else” !
Nothing more then another BIG tax write off for Volkswagen/Germany.
Not when Germany is heading into recession -factories closing and moving to America just like the US planned all along when it blew up Germany,s cheap source of Russian gas .
This is what happens when you trust and obey the USA “white man speak with forked tongue ” American native Indian -nothing changes in 200 years .
The Occupied Germans are being systematically destroyed by the oppressors and their puppet regime. Stealing cars just another bailout for American manufacturers and Unions.