SAN FRANCISCO – A bold scheme to ship night vision rifle scopes from the U.S. to the Sultanate of Oman has led to charges for Oakland residents Fares Abdo Al Eyani and Saba Mohsen Dhaifallah.
The duo, aged 37 and 38 respectively, are accused of attempting to export restricted military-grade equipment in violation of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA).
According to U.S. Attorney David L. Anderson and Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, the complaint was filed on August 5, 2019, and unsealed today. The suspects are alleged to have purchased several night vision devices from a Bay Area gun store in late 2019 and attempted to send them abroad via shipping containers departing from Port of Oakland.
The AECA, which governs the export of arms and defense articles, mandates that items on the United States Munitions List (USML) require a license for export. Al Eyani and Dhaifallah are accused of violating this regulation by attempting to ship the scopes without proper licensing or registration with the Defense Trade Controls (DDTC).
Upon law enforcement’s discovery of the illegal shipment, Al Eyani and Dhaifallah were arrested at their residence in Oakland and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas S. Hixson this morning. They were released on a $100,000 bond with travel restrictions pending further court appearances.
Both defendants face a maximum sentence of twenty years’ imprisonment and a fine of $1,000,000 if convicted. The next hearing is scheduled for August 28, 2020.
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Key Facts
- State: California
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption|Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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