02 JULY 2026AlCircle.com

US Customs to auction 12,000 tonnes of seized aluminium imported from China

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The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will hold the second and final public auction of approximately 12,000 tonnes of seized extruded aluminium profiles on 23 July 2026 in Riverside, California, bringing to a close a nearly 10-year investigation into aluminium imports from China.

The aluminium was seized in 2017 during an investigation linked to individuals or companies associated with China Zhongwang Holdings Ltd. Authorities alleged the material had been imported as non-functional aluminium shipping pallets to avoid US tariffs on semi-finished and finished aluminium products.

According to CBP, the auction will include more than 160,000 aluminium "pallets" stored across 623 shipping containers, with the containers themselves also forming part of the sale. The aluminium is currently stored at an Amentum Holdings LLC facility in Riverside.

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The material primarily consists of 6000-series high-grade aluminium alloy, with a smaller proportion of A356 alloy. Independent laboratory testing confirmed the aluminium is suitable for recycling and remelting for use in sectors including aerospace, construction, automotive and transportation.

CBP has appointed Amentum Holdings LLC and CWS Marketing Group to manage the auction. The sale will be conducted live in Riverside, with online bidding available for approved participants. Interested buyers must provide a refundable USD 100,000 earnest money deposit, while inspection appointments have been scheduled for 8 July, 15 July and 22 July.

The agency said proceeds from the liquidation of seized assets support federal law enforcement and victim assistance programmes. It also noted that recycling aluminium requires approximately 95 per cent less energy than producing primary aluminium.

According to CBP, an earlier auction of similar seized material resulted in the sale of approximately 10,000 tonnes of aluminium, with the upcoming event offering the remaining inventory.