Two West Coast shippers pay fines for U.S. export violations

Two West Coast shippers pay fines for U.S. export violations    Two West Coast shippers recently paid U.S. Commerce Department fines for alleged violations of the country’s export control rules.
   New Focus of San Jose, Calif., agreed to pay a $200,000 civil penalty to settle charges it violated the Export Administration Regulations (EAR).
   The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security alleged that between 1997 and 2001, New Focus failed to obtain the required export licenses for shipments of amplifiers to the Czech Republic, Singapore and Chile.
   The agency also charged that from 2000 to 2002, the company failed to obtain export licenses under the “deemed export” provisions of the EAR for two Iranian nationals and one Chinese national who, in the course of their employment in the United States, were exposed to manufacturing technology controlled by the EAR.
   Eugene, Ore.-based Molecular Probes agreed to pay a $266,750 civil penalty to settle charges it exported toxins to numerous countries without meeting U.S. export licensing requirements.
   The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security alleged that on 97 occasions between January 1998 and October 2002, Molecular Probes (now Invitrogen Corp.) illegally exported conotoxin, which is used as a research tool to study biological molecular activity, and tetrodotoxin, which is used to study cell structures. Both substances are regulated by the EAR because of their potential use in the development of biological and chemical weapons.
   The Commerce Department said both New Focus and Molecular Probes self-disclosed their violations and fully cooperated with the investigations.