The U.S. Department of Commerce announced today that Future Metals, Inc. (Future Metals), of Tamarac, Florida, has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $180,000 to settle charges that it violated the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) on 40 occasions by exporting aluminum bars and stainless steel sheets and tubes to India without the required export licenses.

The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) charged that between July 1998 and October 2000, Future Metals knowingly exported aluminum bars to India without the required export licenses. Exports of aluminum bars to India are controlled for nuclear non-proliferation reasons. BIS also charged that in July 1999 and May 2000, Future Metals knowingly exported stainless steel sheets and tubes to Hindustan Aeronautics, Ltd. (HAL) Engine Division in India without the required export licenses. BIS further charged that Future Metals violated the record-keeping provisions of the EAR by failing to retain certain export control documents.

Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Julie L. Myers commended Special Agent Alan Berkowitz of BIS’s Miami Field Office for his efforts in this investigation.