Pa. shipper fined $575,000 for illicit exports

Pa. shipper fined $575,000 for illicit exports    The U.S. Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security on Tuesday said TW Metals of Exton, Pa., has agreed to pay a $575,000 civil penalty to settle allegations that it violated the Export Administration Regulations (EAR).
   BIS alleged that from April 2004 to August 2007, TW Metals made 48 exports of titanium alloy, controlled for reasons of nuclear nonproliferation, through Canada to the China without the required Commerce Department licenses.
   The company similarly violated EAR in July 2007 by exporting aluminum bar, also controlled for reasons of nonproliferation, through Canada to Israel without the required export license.
   TW Metals voluntarily disclosed the violations to BIS and cooperated with the investigation. 'A voluntary self-disclosure is a significant mitigating factor when we consider administrative settlements,' said Don Salo, Commerce's deputy assistant secretary for export enforcement, in a statement.
   BIS controls exports and re-exports of 'dual-use' commodities, technology, and software for reasons of national security, missile technology, nuclear non-proliferation, chemical and biological weapons non-proliferation, crime control, regional stability, foreign policy and antiterrorism.