The United States Department of Justice confirmed in a statement the arrest of Shenghua Wena 41-year-old man of Chinese nationality for allegedly exporting firearms, ammunition and other military items a North Korea.
According to the statement from the Public Affairs Office, Wen was arrested on December 3, 2024 and faces serious charges for violations of US federal laws, which prohibit such export to the North Korean regime.
Wen, who is a Chinese national and is in the United States illegally after overstaying his student visa, is charged with conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. This legislation establishes severe penalties for those who attempt to trade with North Korea in violation of export control policies. The maximum punishment for these charges could be a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison.
According to an affidavit filed Nov. 26 in federal court, Wen organized several shipments of military items to North Korea through a complex concealment scheme. The modus operandi was to hide firearms and ammunition inside shipping containers that left from Long Beach, Californiabound for Hong Kongfrom where, according to investigations, the products were sent to North Korea.
During a check operation, authorities seized several items at Wen’s residence, including military devices exclusively used by the North Korean regime. Among the confiscated items were a chemical threat identification device and a handheld broadband receiver used to detect spy devices, items that Wen planned to export to North Korea.
On September 6, security forces confiscated about 50,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition which Wen had acquired with the intention of shipping them to North Korea. The review of Wen’s cell phones also revealed compromising information about other planned shipments, including communications about obtaining a civil aircraft enginewhich could be used for the manufacture of military aircraft or in strategic applications.
The research, which has been led by FBIthe Homeland Security Investigation (HSI)he Defense Criminal Investigation Service (DCIS)the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the US Department of Commerce (BIS) Bureau of Industry and Securityhas also involved an exhaustive analysis of Wen’s electronic communications. Through messages recovered from his cell phone, authorities were able to trace his attempts to hide the shipments, as well as his discussions with co-conspirators on products controlled under the International Arms Traffic Regulations.
Since December 2023, Wen had begun coordinating its shipments to North Korea using containers from Long Beach. Additionally, messages obtained by authorities indicated that Wen had negotiated prices and conditions for the civil aircraft enginewhich would be another military component prohibited by international sanctions.
Shenghua Wen will appear before the court of the Central District of Californiawhere he is expected to make his first formal statement about the charges he faces. The case is being processed by the prosecutor Sarah E. Gerdes of the Central District of California and the attorney for the National Security Division, Ahmed Almudallalwho works in the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
The US Department of Justice recalled that this is only a formal accusation, and that Wen is considered innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a trial.
