Two men, Hicham Diab and Nafez El Mir, have been charged with conspiracy to violate the Arms Export Control Act after attempting to smuggle firearms out of Seattle, Washington.
According to a federal complaint, Diab, a resident of Tripoli, Lebanon, began communicating with a person in the U.S. in 2016 to locate firearms to smuggle to Lebanon. The person in the U.S. alerted Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) about the contact.
Over the course of 2017 and 2018, undercover HSI agents posed as people able and willing to supply firearms sought by Diab in furtherance of his smuggling scheme. In October 2018, Diab made plans to come to the U.S. and successfully wired funds for the purchase of firearms and a vehicle in which to hide the firearms.
Diab arrived in Seattle on November 7, 2018, and was accompanied by El Mir, a Canadian citizen residing in Lebanon, who had experience smuggling firearms hidden in automobile panels.
On November 7 and 8, Diab went with the undercover agents to a warehouse containing firearms that had been secured by HSI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), and inspected the firearms. The firearms included twenty Glock handguns, a Smith & Wesson .50 revolver, one FN Fiveseven pistol, an AR15 rifle kit, and a M203 grenade launcher.
Diab and El Mir, during their November 8 warehouse visit, began hiding the firearms in door panels and bumper space inside a sport-utility vehicle. El Mir also discussed ways to get the vehicle shipped to Lebanon with the hidden weapons. The men were arrested the evening of November 8 as they exited the warehouse.
Conspiracy to violate the Arms Control Export Act is punishable by up to five years in prison.
The case is being investigated by HSI and ATF. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Woods with assistance from the U.S. government’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
The charges contained in the complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Key Facts
- State: Washington
- Category: Weapons
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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