Maleek should have tried to find out about the intended end use and end user of the shipment. If this was not possible, he should have examined the distributor's business network to look for warning signs—for instance, if the distributor does business in sanctioned or embargoed countries, or with parties that might be a cause for concern. 
He also should have ensured that a proper export control clause was included in the contract to help ensure that the distributor's actions did not raise any trade compliance or reputational risk. Failing to do this could lead to serious problems for his company.