Info:
Arrested in November 2007 in connection with a plot to export restricted military equipment, including aircraft components and equipment, from the United States via the United Kingdom, Romania, and Hong Kong to Iran in violation of a 1993 UK embargo on military exports to Iran;
charged, along with co-defendants Mohsen Akhavan Nik and Mohammad Akhavan Nik, with two counts of conspiring to evade the prohibition on the export of goods contrary to the UK Criminal Law Act 1977;
Between December 2005 and August 2007, asked by the Niks to source parts from the United States for delivery to Iran;
Restricted items requested by Iranian contacts included a range of parts required for military jets, including liquid oxygen cylinders, military radios and transceivers, helicopter engine transmissions and electric drive motors to power 20mm ‘Gatling type’ cannons;
Items were sourced in the United States (including on eBay), often first shipped to a Florida address set up by the Niks, then typically exported with misleading descriptions to Iran via the UK, Romania or Hong Kong, in order to circumvent U.S. export controls;
The Niks reportedly also used their companies Nix Aviation Ltd and Vanero Ltd to buy parts from Oxford-based Aerospace Support International (ASI), in which Jaitha was a partner; by the time of his arrest, Jaitha had received over £200,000 for aircraft parts that had been sent to Iran;
Also Known As:
Nitish Jaitha
Nithisha Jaitha
Jaitha Nitish
Involved In:
Military Weapon Program
Born:
September 2, 1965
Country:
United Kingdom
Address:
– Chalgrove, Oxford
– Mink Walk, Croydon, south London
– Uxbridge, Middlesex
– Unit – 7, Monument Business Park, Chalgrove, Oxford – OX447RW, United Kingdom (Aerospace Support International)