DOT Announces Medchem Indictment for Hazmats to Saudi Arabia
On November 1, 2011, the Department of Transportation's Inspector General announced that Medchem Corporation (Medchem) and Hasan Ibrahim were indicted in U.S. District Court, San Francisco, California, on charges of illegal transportation of hazardous materials, attempted placement of destructive substances on aircraft, attempted smuggling of goods, and failure to file export information.
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(According to the press release, Mr. Ibrahim is the president and owner of Medchem, an exporter based in South San Francisco that is being charged for the illegal shipment of chemicals, medical equipment, and diagnostics to Saudi Arabia. Medchem was required to properly identify the materials to be shipped and ensure the correct labels were affixed to the packages and containers.)
Indictment Alleges Hazmat Chemicals Shipped Without Proper Labeling
According to the indictment, Mr. Ibrahim caused 64 boxes of goods to be delivered to a freight forwarder for exportation to Saudi Arabia. The shipment contained over 30 separate chemicals designated as a hazardous material under federal regulations. Among the items shipped included Sulfuryl Chloride and Chloroacetonitrile, materials that are prohibited under federal law from being transported by aircraft. None of the labels on the boxes indicated the contents as containing hazardous materials.