Four arrested in Netherlands for illegal exports to Iran

The managing director and three senior staff of the Dutch turbine manufacturing company, Euroturbine, were arrested for exporting banned technology to Iran.

ANP, Netherlands national news agency, reports that the four Dutch nationals were arrested in Venlo after police searches of about 11 premises yielded documents that pointed toward export of “dual-use goods” to Iran, prosecution spokeswoman, Marieke van der Molen told reporters.

The Dutch government documents describe “dual-use goods” as things normally used for civilian purposes that can also be used to develop and produce weapons of mass destruction.

The four suspects are being charged with exporting goods to Iran without a permit and falsifying customs and transport documents to do so.

According to Ms. van der Molen, the four suspects will appear in court tomorrow Friday to establish whether they will have to remain in custody.

Euroturbine is a manufacturing company located in Venlo, a city in the southeast of Netherlands which provides engineering, consultancy and supply services to the global gas and steam turbine industry.