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Company Director Jailed for Illegal Export of Thermal Imaging Rifle Sights

24/02/2026

The United Kingdom has ramped up its enforcement against illegal exports of military-grade equipment, as highlighted in the recently issued Notice to Exporters (NTE) 2026/03. This notice comes on the heels of the conviction of Steven Gates, a UK national who was found guilty of unlawfully exporting thermal imaging rifle sights to Hong Kong.

Gates was prosecuted under sections 68 and 167 of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979.

The case revealed that he misdescribed the military-grade rifle sights as low-value cameras to circumvent UK export controls. This incident underscores the stringent measures in place to prevent the unauthorised transfer of sensitive technology.

According to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), the UK maintains strict export controls, including a partial arms embargo on China and Hong Kong.

Enforcement efforts have seen a dramatic increase in recent years, with 51 criminal investigations conducted in the 2024–2025 period, compared to just five in 2021–2022. This surge reflects the government's commitment to cracking down on violations that could compromise national security or international sanctions.

HMRC has also reminded exporters about the voluntary disclosure process available for unlicensed exports of strategic or sanctioned goods. This mechanism allows individuals and companies to report potential breaches proactively, potentially mitigating penalties and demonstrating compliance.

As global trade becomes increasingly scrutinised, cases like this serve as a stark warning to exporters: adherence to export controls is non-negotiable, and violations will be met with severe consequences. Comsure will continue to monitor developments in international compliance and sanctions enforcement.

Sources:

UNITED KINGDOM

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As well as owning and publishing Comsure's copyrighted works, Comsure wishes to use the copyright-protected works of others. To do so, Comsure is applying for exemptions in the UK copyright law. There are certain very specific situations where Comsure is permitted to do so without seeking permission from the owner. These exemptions are in the copyright sections of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (as amended)[www.gov.UK/government/publications/copyright-acts-and-related-laws]. Many situations allow for Comsure to apply for exemptions. These include 1] Non-commercial research and private study, 2] Criticism, review and reporting of current events, 3] the copying of works in any medium as long as the use is to illustrate a point. 4] no posting is for commercial purposes [payment]. (for a full list of exemptions, please read here www.gov.uk/guidance/exceptions-to-copyright]. Concerning the exceptions, Comsure will acknowledge the work of the source author by providing a link to the source material. Comsure claims no ownership of non-Comsure content. The non-Comsure articles posted on the Comsure website are deemed important, relevant, and newsworthy to a Comsure audience (e.g. regulated financial services and professional firms [DNFSBs]). Comsure does not wish to take any credit for the publication, and the publication can be read in full in its original form if you click the articles link that always accompanies the news item. Also, Comsure does not seek any payment for highlighting these important articles. If you want any article removed, Comsure will automatically do so on a reasonable request if you email info@comsuregroup.com.  

news disclaimer -

As well as owning and publishing Comsure's copyrighted works, Comsure wishes to use the copyright-protected works of others. To do so, Comsure is applying for exemptions in the UK copyright law. There are certain very specific situations where Comsure is permitted to do so without seeking permission from the owner. These exemptions are in the copyright sections of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (as amended)[www.gov.UK/government/publications/copyright-acts-and-related-laws]. Many situations allow for Comsure to apply for exemptions. These include 1] Non-commercial research and private study, 2] Criticism, review and reporting of current events, 3] the copying of works in any medium as long as the use is to illustrate a point. 4] no posting is for commercial purposes [payment]. (for a full list of exemptions, please read here www.gov.uk/guidance/exceptions-to-copyright]. Concerning the exceptions, Comsure will acknowledge the work of the source author by providing a link to the source material. Comsure claims no ownership of non-Comsure content. The non-Comsure articles posted on the Comsure website are deemed important, relevant, and newsworthy to a Comsure audience (e.g. regulated financial services and professional firms [DNFSBs]). Comsure does not wish to take any credit for the publication, and the publication can be read in full in its original form if you click the articles link that always accompanies the news item. Also, Comsure does not seek any payment for highlighting these important articles. If you want any article removed, Comsure will automatically do so on a reasonable request if you email info@comsuregroup.com.