Chinese national shipped weapons to North Korea through Long Beach port, feds say
Shenghua Wen, a 41-year-old man living in Ontario, could face up to 20 years in prison for allegedly violating U.S. sanctions against the East Asian country, among other crimes.
An Ontario man was arrested today on suspicion of smuggling weapons and other military items to North Korea through the Port of Long Beach, federal authorities announced.
Shenghua Wen, a 41-year-old Chinese national, is accused of hiding weapons, ammunition and other military items in shipping containers and sending them to North Korea, a violation of U.S. sanctions against the country and federal law, according to the Department of Justice.
The containers were first shipped to Hong Kong and then on to North Korea, authorities said.
On Aug. 14, law enforcement agents searched Wen's home and seized a chemical threat identification device and a hand-held broadband receiver that detects eavesdropping devices that the 41-year-old intended to send to North Korea, according to the DOJ.
Less than a month later, agents seized 50,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition that Wen planned to send to North Korea, federal authorities said.
Messages on Wen's phone provided further evidence into his smuggling scheme, at times texting with co-conspirators about shipping military-grade items to North Korea and negotiating prices for a plane and engine, according to the DOJ.
Wen was arrested today and charged with conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, federal authorities said, which carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
Wen, who is in the United States illegally after overstaying his student visa is prohibited from possessing any firearms or ammunition.
"The significance of this arrest and discovery of this scheme cannot be overstated," said Akil Davis, assistant director of the FBI's Los Angeles field office. "Not only did the investigative team prevent additional restricted items going to the North Korean regime, but they gathered valuable intelligence for the United States and our allies."
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