Section 301 Investigations: Manufacturing Overcapacity and Forced Labor

In March 2026, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) launched two parallel Section 301 investigations: one targeting manufacturing overcapacity across 16 countries (including China, EU, Japan, India, Mexico, Vietnam, and other major manufacturers), and one targeting forced labor enforcement failures across 60 countries. Crowell & Moring's International Trade team published this advisory addressing the top seven questions clients are asking regarding pending Section 301 comment deadlines and how to address them.

State ex rel. West Virginia v. James Young

The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals issued its opinion in case 25-371, State ex rel. West Virginia v. James Young. The court issued a binding ruling addressing the specific legal matter before it. The opinion establishes the court's resolution of the dispute between the State and the defendant.

State ex rel. West Virginia v. Young - Prohibition Writ Dissent

Justice Trump issued a dissent from the West Virginia Supreme Court's decision to issue a writ of prohibition in an election law case. The dissent addresses whether the Circuit Court of Cabell County committed clear legal error when interpreting two conflicting statutes of limitation for misdemeanor election law violations involving knowingly misrepresenting a magisterial district when filing to run for office. The case involves application of West Virginia Code § 61-11-9 (one-year limitation) versus § 3-9-24 (five-year limitation) to timely prosecution.

Waste Trafficking Driving Toxic Pollution and Harming Public Health

UNODC released its 'Waste Crimes and Trafficking' analysis examining five categories of illegal waste trafficking including e-waste, plastics, end-of-life vehicles, and metal-bearing wastes. The report finds that legislative gaps, limited enforcement capacity, lack of traceability, and low penalties enable organized crime groups and corporations to traffic billions of dollars worth of waste annually, causing severe public health and environmental damage, particularly in low-income countries.

69th CND Session - Journalists Invited to Cover Vienna Meeting

UNODC issued a media advisory inviting journalists to cover the 69th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) scheduled for March 9-13, 2026 in Vienna, Austria. The session will be chaired by Ambassador Andranik Hovhannisyan of Armenia and will bring together Member States, UN entities, inter-governmental organizations, civil society, and the scientific community to address international drug policy. The event will feature 169 side events and 23 exhibitions alongside the plenary sessions.

65 victims identified, 60 arrests in year-long child sexual abuse operation

UNODC announced the results of Operation Eclipse, an INTERPOL-coordinated operation spanning nine countries across Central America, North America, and the Caribbean. Law enforcement arrested 60 individuals and identified 65 child victims of sexual abuse and exploitation over the year-long period (February 2025–January 2026). UNODC provided training, mentoring, and technical support to investigation and prosecution units in participating countries.

CND Establishes 19-Member Expert Panel for 2029 Global Drug Policy Review

The Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) announced the 19 members of its newly established Expert Panel at its sixty-ninth session. The Panel, created under Resolution 68/6, will prepare recommendations for the 2029 global drug policy review aimed at enhancing implementation of international drug control treaties. Allan Rock (Canada) and Natalie Yu-Lin Morris-Sharma (Singapore) were appointed as Co-Chairs of the Panel.

Global Fraud Summit Vienna - 44 Countries Pledge Coordinated Action Against Fraud

UNODC and INTERPOL co-hosted the Global Fraud Summit in Vienna, Austria on March 16-17, 2026, where 44 countries signed a joint statement pledging coordinated action against the rising global threat of fraud. More than 1,300 participants including government officials, law enforcement agencies, tech companies, banks, and civil society organizations attended to identify practical solutions for disrupting fraud networks. According to GASA, losses from organized fraud and scams are estimated at USD 442 billion annually.

People v. Deen - Murder Convictions Reversed, Death Penalty Remanded

The California Supreme Court reversed murder convictions and the death penalty for Omar Richard Deen in People v. Deen (S092615), finding reversible error in the trial court's ruling on a defense challenge for cause of a juror panelist. The case, which originated in Imperial County Superior Court (CF-5338), is remanded for further proceedings.

People v. Deen (Omar Richard) - Death Penalty Appeal

California Supreme Court issued an opinion in People v. Deen (S092615), an automatic appeal from a judgment of death. The case involved competency trial issues in the underlying criminal proceedings. The court's disposition addresses the defendant's challenge to the capital sentence imposed.