US Agents Search 18 Firms Suspected of Exporting to Iran

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, July 11, 2003

US Agents Search 18 Firms Suspected of Exporting to Iran

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United States federal agents searched 18 companies suspected of selling military equipment to Iran through a London-based cover company that buys arms for the Iranian military, officials said Thursday.

Agents from the Department of Homeland Security's Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and from the Defense Criminal Investigative Service carried out the searches at 18 firms in 10 states Wednesday, the officials said.

Those firms allegedly sold components of missiles, fighter jets, military radar systems and other equipment to Iran without a license.

"This case illustrates one of those ways of keeping military components out of the hands of people who by law cannot possess them," said Asa Hutchinson, undersecretary for Border Transportation Security at the Department of Homeland Security.

"The lives of American war fighters can be placed at direct risk through illegal transfer of military components in violation of the Arms Export Control Act," said Joseph Schmitz, chief of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS).

The companies are located in Louisiana, Texas, New Hampshire, Colorado, New York, Florida, Kansas, Wisconsin, Oregon, and South Carolina.

No arrests or charges were announced, but officials said the companies may have violated the Arms Export Control Act by supplying parts for Hawk missiles, F-14 Tomcat, F-4 Phantom and F-5 fighter aircraft, C-130 Hercules transport planes and military radar.

The affidavits allege those components were illegally shipped from the United States to Multicore Ltd., a front company in London which has been under investigation since February 1999.

Washington, accusing Iran of supporting terrorism, has put Iran on its weapons supply embargo list.

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