The arms company Heckler & Koch is needed due to the delivery of Thousands of guns and accessories, a fine in the amount of 3.7 million Euro share to Mexico to pay. The Stuttgart district court sentenced a former employee to 22 months imprisonment on probation, another former assistant to 17 months, also on probation. Three other defendants were acquitted.
In the process, it went to the question of how in the years from 2006 to 2009, more than 4,500 assault rifles of the type G36 and sub-machine guns and accessories to the value of around 4.1 million euros in the Mexican States could, for there was no export permits. It was the biggest trial for alleged illegal weapons deliveries in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Specifically, the court dealt with the approval of the export of Weapons supplied to the so-called end-use statements by the Mexican authorities – official certificates, which assured that the weapons will only be used in approved States.
the Background is that German arms manufacturers can’t export your goods without a permission of the Federal government abroad. The suspicion that the weapons could end up in crisis areas or in States where you need to violations of human rights, the export permit is to be refused, in principle, to the war weapons control act requires it.
licenses for the export of the weapons were devious
the Mexican government in 2006 ordered thousands of assault rifles for Heckler & Koch for use against the drug-trafficking criminal organizations, agreed on arms exports in the competent ministries for the economy and the Foreign office – a compromise: It allowed weapons to be delivered to the Mexican police, with the exception of four States where the human rights situation as particularly uncertain.
Heckler & Koch had to obtain in Mexico, however, those official certificates, which assured that the weapons will be used only in the approved States.
The prosecution has accused the defendants in the process, not to have known that the agreed information in the certificates. Heckler & Koch have provided the weapons, knowing full well a other whereabouts to Mexico.
The court saw it as proven that one of the previous sales Director has involved in the band of export of weapons on the basis of fraudulently obtained permits. The clerk had made the aid guilty. Both sentences were suspended on probation. The prosecution had originally demanded prison sentences of more than two years.
The court and prosecution as the main person responsible is not made for men, however, were before the court: A former head of is no longer alive, and the former trade representatives from Mexico, according to his lawyer, too ill to to arrive. The Stuttgart public Prosecutor has requested for him in the meantime, an international arrest warrant. The court must decide.