BXA FINES MINNESOTA FIRM FOR UNLICENSED ELECTRIC CADDLE PROD EXPORTS

BXA FINES MINNESOTA FIRM FOR UNLICENSED ELECTRIC CADDLE PROD EXPORTS    The U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Export Administration has fined Waters Instruments of Minneapolis $186,000 because of a subsidiary’s unlicensed exports of electric cattle prods.
   On 31 occasions between August 1996 and July 2000, North Central Plastics shipped electric cattle prods to Argentina, Honduras, Switzerland, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Ireland and Mexico without required export licenses. The United States tracks the export of these devices for human rights reasons.
   “Based upon the cooperation of Waters Instruments, Inc. with the investigation, BXA agreed to suspend $26,000 of the penalty,” the Commerce Department said. “The suspended portion of the penalty will be waived after two years, provided that Waters Instruments, Inc. does not commit any violations of the EAR (Export Administration Regulations) during the suspension period.”
   Joel Christy, BXA’s special agent in Chicago, investigated the case against Waters Instruments.