Cristian German Barrera, Export Control Violations, Florida 2019
A Palm Beach County resident has been charged with violating export control laws after allegedly smuggling hundreds of rifle parts to Argentina.
Cristian German Barrera, 47, was arrested on July 11, 2019 and charged with conspiracy to violate and attempted violations of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) and International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) (18 U.S.C. § 371 and 22 U.S.C. § 2778).
According to the complaint, Barrera illegally exported without a required license from the U.S. State Department, to the Argentine weapons trafficking organization, hundreds of AR-15 assault rifle parts.
The investigative efforts of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents in the Miami Field Office along with HSI agents stationed in Argentina, and their proactive cooperation with Argentine law enforcement officials between October and December 2019, led to the execution of search warrants in Florida and Argentina that resulted in the seizure of the equivalent of 52 AR-15 assault rifles in Florida and in Argentina: 189 long arms, 156 handguns, one mortar round, one hand grenade, over 30,000 rounds of assorted caliber ammunition, five vehicles, and $110,000 in cash.
On June 26, 2019, Argentina's National Gendarmeria conducted an operation that led to the arrest of additional subjects and the seizure of thousands of firearms and explosive materials.
U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan commended the investigative efforts of HSI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Del Toro and Trial Attorney Evan Turgeon of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section of the National Security Division.
A complaint is merely an allegation. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Weapons
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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