Alexander George, an 80-year-old former military parts dealer from Long Ashton, Bristol, has been sentenced to prison and ordered to pay £700,000 for illegally exporting military aircraft parts to Iran. The pensioner made over £5 million by smuggling parts for MiG 29 and US F4 Phantom fighter jets past strict UK export controls.
Between 2010 and 2016, George orchestrated a large-scale smuggling operation using a network of companies based in Malaysia and Dubai. He purchased sensitive military components in the United States and funneled them to Iran, despite clear Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) restrictions and international trade embargoes. To avoid detection, he enlisted others to transport the parts covertly.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) uncovered the scheme and questioned George twice at Heathrow Airport in 2010. During these interviews, he denied wrongdoing and claimed he only sold non-military items such as wheelbarrows and goggles.
In 2018, George was sentenced to two and a half years in prison at the Old Bailey for knowingly exporting controlled military goods. At a hearing in June 2022 at Southwark Crown Court, he was ordered to pay £700,000 within three months or face an additional three months in jail. George was not present at the hearing due to illness.
Nicola Dunk, Assistant Director of HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Service, said, “He didn’t care what these prohibited items were used for. His cynical attempts to sidestep trade embargoes harmed international security. We will always seek to reclaim money made through illegal means. If George fails to pay, he will go back to prison and still owe the cash on release.”
Two other individuals involved in the smuggling ring, Paul and Iris Attwater, were found guilty and received six-month suspended sentences in October 2018 at Southwark Crown Court.
The UK maintains strict licensing controls to prevent military and dual-use technology from falling into the wrong hands. This case underscores HMRC’s commitment to enforcing export ban laws and protecting international security.
Originally published by UKNIP.
