NORMAN FOX & CO. SETTLES CHARGES FOR UNAUTHORIZED EXPORTS OF CHEMICAL MIXTURES TO HONG KONG

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For Immediate Release: November 17, 2005
Contact - BIS Public Affairs 202-482-2721

Norman Fox & Co. Settles Charges For Unauthorized Exports Of Chemical Mixtures To Hong Kong

The U.S. Department of Commerce announced today that Norman Fox & Co., based in City of Commerce, California, has agreed to pay a $42,000 civil penalty to settle administrative charges that it violated the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) in connection with unauthorized exports of chemicals controlled to prevent the proliferation of chemical and biological weapons from the United States to Hong Kong without the required Department of Commerce export licenses.

The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) charged that, on 12 separate occasions between 2000 and 2002, Norman exported a chemical mixture containing triethanolamine, an item subject to the EAR, to a destination in Hong Kong without the required license.

Norman voluntarily disclosed these violations to BIS and cooperated fully in the investigation. Parties who may have been involved in violations of the EAR are encouraged to submit a Voluntary Self Disclosure (VSD) to BIS’ Office of Export Enforcement, as provided for in Part 764.5 of the EAR. VSDs are an important indicator of parties’ intent to bring themselves into compliance with the EAR, and may provide important BIS important information on illicit proliferation networks. A VSD is considered a ‘great weight’ mitigating factor in the settlement of BIS administrative cases.

Assistant Secretary Commerce for Export Enforcement Darryl Jackson commended the Office of Export Enforcement, Los Angeles Field Office, for its work on this investigation.