Where Industry and Security Intersect
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In October 1996 Commerce Special Agents opened an investigation of a Louisiana auto salvage company based on a request for assistance from the U.S. Customs Service. The investigation uncovered evidence that Dien Duc Huynh, working through his auto salvage company, was purchasing surplus military vehicles from Army bases in the United States and Europe and exporting them to Vietnam through Singapore in violation of U.S. export control laws. The vehicles are controlled for national security, anti-terrorism, and regional stability reasons.
On May 27, 1999, a U.S. District Court jury for the Western District of Louisiana found Dien Duc Huynh and his corporation, Dien's Auto Salvage, guilty of violating the Export Administration Act, Trading with the Enemy Act and theft of government property in connection with these illegal exports of military surplus vehicles to Vietnam.
Dien was sentenced to 41 months imprisonment in a Federal facility. In lieu of forfeiting his property to the Federal government, Dien Duc Huynh agreed to pay the government $250,000.
A co-conspirator of Dien Duc Huynh pled guilty to two counts of violating the Export Administration Regulations and testified against Huynh at trial. In consideration of the help provided to the Government he received five years probation.