3 Arrested in High-Tech Smuggling Plan
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BOSTON — Three men were arrested in Boston and Rome in an alleged scheme to smuggle $1.4 million worth of high-tech equipment to an Eastern bloc country, authorities said Wednesday.
The men allegedly tried to export equipment used to test and repair electronic chips to Bulgaria. The equipment has military and civilian applications and export to Eastern bloc nations is restricted.
Franciscus B. Govaerts, 47, of Mierlo, Netherlands, and Marcel Jules Sylvia Sanders, 33, of Belgium, who were arrested in Boston, were charged with violating the Export Administration Act and with money laundering, said Leonard S. Walton, a U.S. Customs Service agent-in-charge.
Goris Christiaan Grandia of Amsterdam was arrested by Italian police in Rome on Dec. 23, and U.S. officials are seeking to extradite him, U.S. Atty. Frank McNamara said.
Authorities said Govaerts’ company contacted Teradyne Inc. to buy the equipment and was told that the United States likely would deny export permission. A Teradyne employee informed customs and the company allowed agents to monitor negotiations to buy the equipment.
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