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Office of Inspector General |
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| Title: | Owner Of Florida Import/Export Company Sentenced To Forfeit Two Private Aircraft For Illegally Transporting Radioactive Hazardous Materials (HazMat) |
| Date: | August 04, 2006 |
| Type: | Investigation |
| Summary: | On August 4, Harold J. DeGregory, Jr., president and registered agent of H&G Import/Export of Fort Lauderdale (H&G) was ordered by a US District Court Judge in Miami, FL to forfeit two Piper aircrafts valued at a combined 150,000 and sentenced to two years in prison for illegally transporting radioactive HazMat and for making false representations to the Government.
Our investigation disclosed that DeGregory contracted with Bahamas Oil Refining Company (BORCO) to transport radioactive Iridium-192 to and from the Bahamas. H&G was not licensed or certified to handle or transport radioactive HazMat. DeGregory never submitted HazMat manifests required by law, nor did he disclose the HazMat (which, was shipped in November 2004 from the Bahamas to Fort Lauderdale, and hidden in a wing compartment of the aircraft) to Customs officials. DeGregory was convicted by a Miami jury in January 2006. This was a joint investigation with DHS-ICE, DHS-CBP, and the FAA. |