Where Industry and Security Intersect
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(WASHINGTON) Well Complex International of Passaic, N.J., today pleaded guilty to a one-count federal information in U.S. District Court for failing to obtain the required Department of Commerce export license when it exported hafnium granules to the People's Republic of China in 1996, Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement F. Amanda DeBusk announced. The company's president, David Chan, also pleaded guilty to a one-count federal information charge of causing a false statement to be made to the Department.
Export of hafnium, a metal, is controlled to the People's Republic of China for foreign policy purposes. Commerce's Office of Export Enforcement New York field office investigated the case. The United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey prosecuted 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 penalties, 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.