Foreign Adversaries Attempt to Illegally Acquire US Technology
Jim Kouri, CPP
April 19, 2006
During the Dubai ports controversy, the understandably fierce political firestorm zeroed in on weapons of mass destruction, radiological materials or contraband being smuggled into the US. However, very little, if anything, was discussed about US technology -- including weapons -- being illegally exported from our seaports. While the American people -- again, understandably -- are concerned with what's coming into the US, very little thought is given to what's going out.
For decades, foreign adversaries of the United States have sought to acquire US and Western arms and technology through both legal and illegal means. Illicit trade in these items has allowed our enemies to secure the fruits of Western research and strategic technology at a relatively low cost, while placing US citizens, troops and national interests, as well as global security, at risk.
Strategic technologies and weapons are essential to the defense of the United States. In the wrong hands, however, these items could become instruments of terrorism or war that could be used against the United States.
As with any illicit trade, the precise volume of illegal exports is difficult to measure or even to estimate. federal investigations and seizures suggest that this global market amounts to tens of millions of dollars annually. However, the monetary value of these products pales in comparison to their strategic and military value.
Sensitive products include aircraft, missile and weapons technology; materials and equipment used in the construction of nuclear weapons; night vision technology; biological and chemical warfare agents and their precursors; systems for weapons detection, tracking and monitoring; and a wide range of manufacturing technologies for microelectronics, computers and other digital components.
The Homeland Security Department's "Project Shield America" was created to prevent foreign adversaries, terrorists, and criminal networks from obtaining and trafficking in WMD and their components. The initiative also seeks to prevent these groups from obtaining sensitive US technologies, commodities, munitions and firearms. Furthermore, Project Shield America targets financial transactions that support these activities or violate US sanctions or embargoes.
Inspection and Interdiction – Specially trained US Customs and Border Protection Inspectors are stationed at high-threat US ports of entry to inspect outbound shipments for possible violations of US export laws. Any violations are reported to Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents for further investigation.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agents conduct investigations of export violations, seize illegal shipments of controlled technology and munitions, and pursue the arrest, prosecution, and conviction of violators. In a one year period, ICE agents opened approximately 3,000 new criminal investigations into the illegal export of US munitions and strategic technology. ICE agents also conduct outreach visits with industry officials to educate them about US export laws and to solicit their assistance in preventing illegal foreign acquisition of their products.
This partnership is crucial, allowing ICE agents to concentrate on proactive investigations and to identify vulnerabilities in the export system before they can damage vital US interests. Furthermore, these industry outreach visits often result in tips from industry sources that lead to criminal investigations. In the 2003 and 2004 fiscal years, ICE agents have conducted more than 5,500 industry outreach visits around the country, resulting in tips that have prompted dozens of ICE criminal investigations nationwide and worldwide.
ICE Attaches stationed in nations around the world enlist the support of host governments to develop leads and investigative information in support of ongoing domestic arms and strategic technology investigations. At the same time, these ICE Attaches help support investigations by foreign law enforcement into illegal weapons and technology trafficking.
These efforts are all supported by the ICE Arms and Strategic Technology Investigations Unit’s Exodus Command Center located in Washington, DC The command center serves as an information-sharing hub for DHS as well as for the US Departments of Commerce, Defense and State and other agencies concerned with the export of US strategic technology and products.
Sources: Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, National Security Institute, American Society for Industrial Security
For decades, foreign adversaries of the United States have sought to acquire US and Western arms and technology through both legal and illegal means. Illicit trade in these items has allowed our enemies to secure the fruits of Western research and strategic technology at a relatively low cost, while placing US citizens, troops and national interests, as well as global security, at risk.
Strategic technologies and weapons are essential to the defense of the United States. In the wrong hands, however, these items could become instruments of terrorism or war that could be used against the United States.
As with any illicit trade, the precise volume of illegal exports is difficult to measure or even to estimate. federal investigations and seizures suggest that this global market amounts to tens of millions of dollars annually. However, the monetary value of these products pales in comparison to their strategic and military value.
Sensitive products include aircraft, missile and weapons technology; materials and equipment used in the construction of nuclear weapons; night vision technology; biological and chemical warfare agents and their precursors; systems for weapons detection, tracking and monitoring; and a wide range of manufacturing technologies for microelectronics, computers and other digital components.
The Homeland Security Department's "Project Shield America" was created to prevent foreign adversaries, terrorists, and criminal networks from obtaining and trafficking in WMD and their components. The initiative also seeks to prevent these groups from obtaining sensitive US technologies, commodities, munitions and firearms. Furthermore, Project Shield America targets financial transactions that support these activities or violate US sanctions or embargoes.
Inspection and Interdiction – Specially trained US Customs and Border Protection Inspectors are stationed at high-threat US ports of entry to inspect outbound shipments for possible violations of US export laws. Any violations are reported to Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents for further investigation.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agents conduct investigations of export violations, seize illegal shipments of controlled technology and munitions, and pursue the arrest, prosecution, and conviction of violators. In a one year period, ICE agents opened approximately 3,000 new criminal investigations into the illegal export of US munitions and strategic technology. ICE agents also conduct outreach visits with industry officials to educate them about US export laws and to solicit their assistance in preventing illegal foreign acquisition of their products.
This partnership is crucial, allowing ICE agents to concentrate on proactive investigations and to identify vulnerabilities in the export system before they can damage vital US interests. Furthermore, these industry outreach visits often result in tips from industry sources that lead to criminal investigations. In the 2003 and 2004 fiscal years, ICE agents have conducted more than 5,500 industry outreach visits around the country, resulting in tips that have prompted dozens of ICE criminal investigations nationwide and worldwide.
ICE Attaches stationed in nations around the world enlist the support of host governments to develop leads and investigative information in support of ongoing domestic arms and strategic technology investigations. At the same time, these ICE Attaches help support investigations by foreign law enforcement into illegal weapons and technology trafficking.
These efforts are all supported by the ICE Arms and Strategic Technology Investigations Unit’s Exodus Command Center located in Washington, DC The command center serves as an information-sharing hub for DHS as well as for the US Departments of Commerce, Defense and State and other agencies concerned with the export of US strategic technology and products.
Sources: Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, National Security Institute, American Society for Industrial Security
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