There's an interesting business story that I came across today via Deutsche Welle today, which would make you laugh a bit.
There's a German weapons company.....Sig Sauer. They actually have a fairly well known reputation around the world. There's Sig Sauer Germany, and Sig Sauer USA.
At some point around 2009, a purchase deal was made to send 70,000 SP2022 pistols to the US company. A sales permit was done. A import-export deal was arranged. And the deal was concluded.
Then this odd thing happened. Sig Sauer USA tool 36,000 of the pistols and sold them to the Columbia police. This was all done with the support of President Obama.
The German government? They decided in 2014 (roughly four years after the deal was concluded) that there should have been a permit by the German government to allow this to occur. Naturally, they would have probably said 'no' to Columbia, or at least they suggest this.
What happens if this goes to a court situation? Someone in the line of things (could be a German....could be an American) would face up to five years in a German prison. The Germans also believe a fine is necessary (12-million Euro).....which would basically zero out any profit from this deal. The normal cost per gun? Around $500 each (at least in the US).
How did the US get into this act? Well....this was a 'gift' of sorts to fight drug-related gangs in Columbia. No one is really saying that Columbia paid for the guns.
The problem here for the Germans is that the purchase was set for Sig Sauer USA. From that point of delivery, it's going to be hard to establish absolute German control beyond that delivery. Now, if they can prove that the contract with Columbia existed prior to the order....that'd be a different case.
As for Sig Sauer seeing this as another regulation episode? Eventually, they'd start to think about why they remain in Germany, and just pack up for some country like Hungary, or Czech.
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