COMMERCE, FIRMS SETTLE CHARGES OF ILLEGAL EXPORTS

COMMERCE, FIRMS SETTLE CHARGES OF ILLEGAL EXPORTS    Two firms have reached settlement on civil penalties with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Export Administration to cover charges of illegal exports.
   UCAR International Inc., based in Nashville, agreed to pay $237,000, settling allegations that the company illegally exported ATJ-grade graphite to various foreign countries from September 1995 to August 1997.
   Opto Power Corp., of Tucson, Ariz., agreed to pay an $80,000 to settle charges it illegally exported diode lasers to Israel for a two-year period.
   The BXA suspended $40,000 of Opto’s penalty for one year. It will be waived as long as the company commits no further violations, BXA said.
   BXA said both firms were exporting without the required export licenses.