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The U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Export Administration (BXA) today imposed a $225,000 civil penalty against Quest Technologies, Inc., of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, for exporting chlorine and sulphur dioxide gas sensors in violation of the Export Administration Regulations.
On 45 separate occasions between January 1997 and March 2000, Quest Technologies, Inc., allegedly exported chlorine and sulphur dioxide gas sensors - items subject to the Regulations - from the United States to Vietnam, Taiwan, India, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, without the required Department of Commerce export licenses. These sensors are used primarily in industrial safety applications, but can be used for the detection of chemical warfare agents.
Quest Technologies Inc., agreed to pay a civil penalty of $225,000, $135,000 of which will be suspended, to settle the allegations. Payment of the suspended amount will be waived in one year provided that Quest Technologies, Inc., does not violate the Export Administration Act or the Regulations, and satisfies the conditions of the order imposing the civil penalty.
Special Agents from the Commerce Department's Chicago office of export enforcement investigated the case.
The Department of Commerce, through its Bureau of Export Administration, administers and enforces export controls for reasons of national security, foreign policy, nonproliferation and short supply. Criminal, as well as administrative sanctions, can be imposed for violations of the Regulations.
In April of 2002 the Bureau of Export Administration (BXA) changed its name to the Bureau of Industry and Security(BIS). For historical purposes we have not changed the references to BXA in the legacy documents found in the Archived Press and Public Information.