US Makes Arrest for Smuggling Weapons Via Port of Long Beach to North Korea
The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations announced that they have arrested a Chinese national residing in California and charged him with smuggling weapons through containers in the Port of Long Beach to North Korea. The firearms, ammunition, and other military items were being concealed in containers outbound for Long Beach for Hong Kong and ultimately North Korea.
“We have arrested a defendant who allegedly acted at the direction of the North Korean government by conspiring to illegally ship firearms, ammunition, and other military equipment to North Korea,” announced United States Attorney Martin Estrada.
Shenghua Wen, age 41 and a Chinese national, was living in Ontario, California after overstaying his student visa.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, Wen obtained firearms, ammunition, and export-controlled technology intending to ship them to North Korea. 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.
“The significance of this arrest and discovery of this scheme cannot be overstated,” said FBI Los Angeles Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis. “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.”
Law enforcement reports in August it seized at Wen’s home two devices that he intended to send to North Korea for military use. This included a chemical threat identification device and a hand-held broadband receiver that detects eavesdropping devices. Law enforcement also seized in September 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 cell phones revealed discussions he had with co-conspirators about shipping military-grade equipment to North Korea. Some of these messages include photographs that Wen sent of the items.
In addition, they stated that from January to April 2024, Wen sent emails and text messages to a U.S.-based broker about obtaining a civilian plane engine. There also were several text messages on Wen’s iPhone concerning price negotiation for the plane and its engine.
“The results of today’s arrest and search warrants are a testament to HSI and our partner agencies’ commitment to national security and protecting our sensitive technology,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Diego Special Agent in Charge Shawn Gibson. “It is a federal crime to illegally obtain and export certain US technologies by foreign countries and those who seek to circumvent the law will be thoroughly investigated.”
Wen is being charged with a felony that carries a statutory maximum of 20 years in federal prison. U.S. authorities said his arraignment is expected to occur in the coming weeks.