A Chinese 22-year-old exchange student is being held for questioning by Tokyo police after he illegally exported a Star Safire III Forward looking infrared (FLIR) camera system to China.
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By Hunini (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons
The FLIR was previously installed on a disaster response helicopter operated by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. A recycling company was supposed to dispose the sensitive equipment in 2015 but the FLIR ended up on an internet auction site.
The student purchase the item for $5,000 and sold it to a Chinese company for $22,000. He told police the money was used for his living expenses and to cover his university fees.
The Star Safire III requires an export license for shipping outside Japan and the recycling company is facing charges for failing to dispose it properly.