Shenghua Wen, Exporting Firearms to North Korea, California 2024

California Man Arrested for Allegedly Exporting Firearms, Ammunition to North Korea

A 41-year-old man from Ontario, California, was arrested yesterday for allegedly exporting shipments of firearms, ammunition, and other military items to North Korea. Shenghua Wen, a Chinese national illegally residing in the United States, was taken into custody this morning and is expected to make his initial appearance this afternoon in the Central District of California.

According to an affidavit filed on November 26 with the complaint, Wen obtained firearms, ammunition, and export-controlled technology with the intention of shipping them to North Korea – a violation of federal law and United States sanctions against that nation. Wen and his co-conspirators allegedly exported shipments of firearms and ammunition to North Korea by concealing the items inside shipping containers that were shipped from Long Beach through Hong Kong to North Korea.

Law enforcement seized two devices that Wen intended to send to North Korea for military use: a chemical threat identification device and a hand-held broadband receiver that detects eavesdropping devices. They also seized approximately 50,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition that Wen allegedly obtained to send to North Korea.

A review of Wen's iPhone revealed to law enforcement that in December 2023, Wen smuggled items from Long Beach to Hong Kong with their destination being North Korea. Messages retrieved from Wen's cellphones revealed discussions he had earlier this year with co-conspirators about shipping military-grade equipment to North Korea.

Wen is a Chinese national who is illegally in the United States after overstaying his student visa and is therefore prohibited from possessing any firearms or ammunition. Wen lacks the required licenses from the U.S. government to export ammunition, firearms, and the other devices that law enforcement seized at his home to North Korea.

Wen is charged with conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which carries a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.

The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Gerdes for the Central District of California and Trial Attorney Ahmed Almudallal of the National Security Division's Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/california-man-arrested-allegedly-exporting-shipments-firearms-ammunition-and-other-military