American Pacific Industries Inc. (API) has recalled 761 Gladiator-brand light truck and trailer tyres that were exported to the U.S. from China “unlawfully” without API’s knowledge and are deemed potentially unsafe. API said it has accounted for all of the tyres, which are in the possession of U.S. Customs in Houston, and has directed Customs to destroy them.
The tyres in question “did not pass our quality control inspection at origin and were unlawfully exported to the U.S.A.,” API said. Accompanying API’s correspondence with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is a copy of an invoice issued by Qingdao Keter International Co. Ltd. of Qingdao, China, showing the tyres in question and the shipping vessel. They were shipped March 15 to persons not identified by API or NHTSA.
The tyres were produced by Deruibao Tire Co. Ltd. of Guangrao, Shandong, China, which claims in a document to be an authorized manufacturer of Gladiator-brand tyres. API was notified of the unlawful shipment by Customs on May 1. The tyres in question are of 18 different sizes—12 P-metric 16- or 17-inch sizes and six ST trailer tyres in 13- to 16-inch sizes, the documents show.