The Washington Post Quotes Partner Michael J. Coursey on Chinese Honey Laundering Case

Partner Michael J. Coursey is quoted in a Washington Post article, ​“Swarming to Arrest Honey Importers.” On May 22, 2008, two Chicago executives from the Germany-based food firm Alfred L. Wolff GmbH, were arrested on federal criminal charges of conspiring to import honey from China contaminated with an illegal antibiotic. The article notes that this case is ​“part of a crackdown on importers trying to get honey into the U.S. market at prices that undercut domestic producers.” For the past 15 years, Kelley Drye has successfully petitioned various U.S. government agencies, on behalf of domestic honey producers and packers, for assistance with regard to unfairly-traded Chinese honey imports.

In this article, Coursey, who has led the firm’s representation of the U.S. honey industry since 1993, discussed the significance of this case, and the message being sent by Customs that its patience with such unethical practices is running thin.