From Tire Review

Kumho Tire USA Inc. had to re-recall some 12,000 of its own previously recalled tires after some of them were sold back into the distribution chain as "used tires."

Under a second recall are Kumho Solus KH25 tires in size 225/45R17 that were produced in the weeks between Aug. 21, 2011, through June 23, 2012, at its plant in Vietnam.

Those same tires were originally recalled last August due to possible sidewall cracking that could result in air loss. According to Kumho, the 2012 recall focused on 1,238 tires in that group of nearly 12,000 that were called back, only 122 of which had actually been installed on consumer vehicles. The remainder, Kumho reported, were still in warehouses.

The collected recalled tires were reportedly rendered useless by the drilling of three holes in the tread area of the tire, and were shipped to Liberty Tire Recycling for final disposal. Liberty, reportedly, then sold some 7,800 of those recalled tires to various wholesalers in North Carolina, New York, Texas and Puerto Rico as “used tires.”

The apparent concern is that those tires could be repaired and then offered for retail sale to unsuspecting consumers. Federal law makes it a crime to sell recalled tires.