Giant US Tuna Company Sued for Alleged Abuses in Its Supply Chain

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By:

Team of Hukumindo

Previously, the www.hukumindo.com platform has talk about "Man Arrested on Felony Battery Charges in Florida", "Island Near Antarctica Hit by Donald Trump's Trade Tariffs", you may read also "Five Main Characteristics of Illegal Online Loans" and on this occasion we will discuss about 'Giant US Tuna Company Sued for Alleged Abuses in Its Supply Chain'.

Four Indonesian fishermen filed a lawsuit against the giant US tuna company, Bumble Bee Foods, in mid-March. In the lawsuit document dated March 12, the four fishermen are: Akhmad, Angga, Muhammad Sahrudin and Muhammad Syafi'i. Meanwhile, those representing the plaintiffs are the legal team from Greenpeace US. The lawsuit was filed in a federal court in California, United States.[1]

In the lawsuit, they accuse Bumble Bee Foods of “knowingly profiting” from forced labor, debt bondage, and other abuses in its supply chain. They also claim Bumble Bee violated human trafficking laws by importing seafood caught through forced labor. The four fishermen were employed by a recruiting company, which withheld a large portion of their wages as administrative fees, known as debt bondage. Under these conditions, the fishermen received little or no pay. They were also threatened with large fines if they resigned. The four plaintiffs worked on three different fishing vessels that supplied Bumble Bee with tuna. However, they experienced the same conditions: physical abuse and forced laboring. In the lawsuit, Syafi'i and Sahrudin accuse their captain of frequently beating them. Akhmad was forced to continue working despite being badly injured and Angga was not given proper food.[2]

Attorney Agnieszka Fryszman said the case is the first case of fishing vessel slavery brought against a U.S. seafood company. "The fishing vessels never actually have to dock. So the workers are really trapped," Fryszman said. "That makes it easier for them to get caught up in forced labor and human trafficking." As the defendant, Bumble Bee said it was aware of the fishermen's lawsuit. Bumble also said it would not comment on the ongoing legal process. The allegations have not been tested in court. Bumble Bee is one of the oldest canned seafood companies in the U.S. and has the largest market share of canned and bagged tuna in the country.[3] And if you have any legal issue in Indonesia territory, contact us for business inquiry, feel free in 24 hour, we will be glad to assist you. 

*) For further information please contact:

Mahmud Kusuma Advocate

Law Office

Jakarta - Indonesia.

E-mail: mahmudkusuma22@gmail.com

________________

References:

1. "4 Nelayan Indonesia Gugat Perusahaan Tuna Raksasa Amerika Serikat", www.cnnindonesia.com., 22 Maret 2025, Diakses pada tanggal 10 April 2025, Link: https://www.cnnindonesia.com/internasional/20250322182133-106-1211952/4-nelayan-indonesia-gugat-perusahaan-tuna-raksasa-amerika-serikat

2. Ibid.

3. Ibid.