International Trade Law News

On November 5, 2004, the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued its monthly list of civil penalties imposed against companies and individuals for violating the sanctions programs administered by OFAC. During October 2004, OFAC imposed more than $80,000 in civil penalties to settle 8 separate enforcement actions for violations of the current or former embargoes imposed by the U.S. on Cuba, Iran and Yugoslovia. During the same period OFAC imposed nearly $27,000 in penalities to settle 23 cases involving violations of the Cuban sanctions regulations.

The following is a summary of some of the settlements announced by OFAC:

• OFAC imposed a $32,500 penalty on DaimlerChrylsler's North America Holding Co. as a result of one of its Mexican subsidiaries exporting goods to Cuba.
• A $11,000 penalty was imposed on BEF Corporation, a supplier of photographic processing equipment, for exporing goods to Iran.
• OFAC imposed a $26,956 penalty on Fort Dodge Animal Health, a manufacturer and distributor of prescription and over-the-counter animal health care products, for exporting goods to Yugoslavia during 2000.
• OFAC settled five other cases involving the exportation of goods and services to Yugoslavia during 1999 to 2001.
• OFAC imposed a $1,125 penalty on an individual for the importation of Cuban-origin goods.
• OFAC imposed a total of $21,250 in penalties to settle 18 cases involving travel-related transactions with Cuba.