Computer hardware firm Super Micro Computer's offices were raided by authorities in Taiwan as part of an investigation regarding GPU smuggling, says a report from Bloomberg. The publication quotes a statement by Taiwan’s Keelung District Prosecutors' Office, which notes the locations of several offices that were raided as part of an investigation into the smuggling of NVIDIA's chips into China. A Super Micro office was also present in the list, but the statement did not directly address the firm.
Taiwanese Authorities Raid Super Micro's Office As Part Of GPU Smuggling Investigation
According to Bloomberg's report, corroborated by the Financial Times as well, sources speaking to both publications suggest that a Super Micro's office was part of the latest raid by Taiwanese authorities to crack down on the smuggling of NVIDIA GPUs into China. The raid by the authorities was confirmed by a filing by Taiwan's Albatron Technology Co, which is a distributor of Super Micro's products.
Super Micro's co-founder and a contractor are part of individuals that have been charged by the US government for smuggling $2.5 billion worth of AI chips into China. Both have pleaded not guilty in a New York court, and the firm provided a statement in response to the latest raid to the Financial Times.
In a statement given to the Financial Times, Super Micro remarked:
“Supermicro products continue to be targeted in these matters, and we continue to co-operate with law enforcement and government officials in Taiwan and other jurisdictions in which we operate to ensure our technology is distributed as lawfully intended.”
According to Super Micro, it is working closely with Taiwan's authorities on the "events" in order to ensure the relevant export control laws are adhered to. While the US has restricted China from acquiring NVIDIA's chips, re-exporting chips from Taiwan to China is not a criminal offense in Taiwan.
Following the indictment of individuals associated with the firm earlier this year, Super Micro had asserted that their alleged behavior was a "contravention of the Company’s policies and compliance controls, including efforts to circumvent applicable export control laws and regulations."
Super Micro had ended its relationship with the contractor allegedly involved in the smuggling and placed the two employees on leave. Its shares had crashed by 33% after the news had broken. Along with Dell, it plays a key role in the AI infrastructure buildout through being able to assemble NVIDIA's AI chips for use in data centers.
About the author: Ramish is a seasoned technology writer and editor with more than a decade of experience. He specializes in semiconductor fabrication and market analysis. With a background in finance and supply chain management - via his bachelors in Finance and a micromasters in supply chain management from MIT - Ramish combines financial rigor with deep industry insight to deliver accurate and authoritative coverage.
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