France is investigating suspected smuggling to China and Russia of advanced chip technology

The French judiciary is investigating allegations of smuggling advanced chip technology produced in the country to China and Russia, which impose sanctions and export bans in response to possible military use.

A French judicial official, who did not wish to be named, said in a statement that four people, two Frenchmen and two Chinese, have been under investigation since March, with evidence that they transferred technology from high-tech semiconductor chip manufacturer Omic, currently owned by the United States.

Two of the people involved in the 4 also face charges related to "selling classified information to a foreign power," the official said.

Suspected of personally delivering chips

The French director of the company is suspected of personally delivering the chips to Russian customers and there is evidence of this, the official said, adding that the chips are also exported to Chinese arms manufacturers through fake documents.

The official said he could not give further details because of the confidentiality of the investigation.

Le Parisien newspaper, which first announced the incident, reported that investigators had discovered an illegal transfer of technology worth about 12 million euros.

In the news, it was noted that there are sanctions and export bans on China and Russia in response to the possibility of military use.