Sanctions abuse

US authorities on Thursday said they had reached an agreement with DHL on a $9.4 million fine for violating the US embargos against Iran and Sudan. According to the US treasury department, DHL delivered more than 300 shipments from the US to the three countries between 2002 and 2007.

"DHL's pervasive compliance failures allowed for numerous shipments to Iran and Sudan in apparent violation of Treasury and Commerce Department regulations," the Treasury Department said in a statement.

DHL also failed to keep the required records on a number of shipments to Iran between 2002 and 2006. Descriptions of the contents of the delivered packages were missing in thousands of cases, according to the US.

US regulations prohibit the shipment of most goods to Iran and Sudan and require companies keep complete records on shipments for five years.

No strategic goods shipped

"Today's joint enforcement actions signal the US government's commitment to ensuring that sanctions laws are followed carefully," said Adam Szubin, director of the US treasury's office of foreign assets control.

DHL said that the items it had delivered were letters, personal items and consumer goods.

The settlement with DHL was reached after more than five years of investigation.

The dispute had threatened to affect DHL's relationship with US regulators. A DHL spokesman said he believed the matter to be closed now that the monetary settlement had been reached.

ai/AP/Reuters
Editor: Nancy Isenson