Chinese Illegal Immigrant Allegedly Smuggled Weapons from California to North Korea, Says DOJ

A Chinese national who was illegally living in Southern California was arrested on December 3 for allegedly exporting firearms, ammunition, and various military supplies to North Korea.

As stated by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), 41-year-old Shenghua Wen and his accomplices purportedly sent at least two shipments of weapons within shipping containers from Long Beach to North Korea, routing through Hong Kong.

“In a series of Mirandized interviews, Wen confessed to exporting firearms and ammunition to North Korea under the guidance of the North Korean government,” the affidavit, submitted on November 26, noted.

Having arrived in the United States in 2012, Wen has been living unlawfully since he overstayed his student visa, making him ineligible to possess firearms or ammunition, as indicated in court documents.

On August 14, law enforcement conducted a search at his residence in Ontario, California, and confiscated two devices that Wen allegedly admitted were to be utilized for military purposes by North Korea: “a chemical threat identification device and a hand-held broadband receiver to detect eavesdropping devices.” On September 6, authorities also seized approximately 50,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition that they claimed Wen aimed to ship to North Korea.

The search was initiated after officials examined Wen’s iPhone, which contained messages regarding smuggling activities from December 2023. These messages revealed discussions between Wen and his co-conspirators about transporting military-grade equipment to North Korea, including images of the items. Between January and April of the current year, Wen is also alleged to have communicated via emails and texts to a broker in the U.S. regarding negotiations for a civilian airplane engine.

In an interview held on September 6, Wen disclosed that prior to arriving in the United States, he had meetings with North Korean officials at two different North Korean Consulates in China. He stated that he was instructed to procure goods for the North Korean regime and believed he was chosen for his smuggling capabilities. Wen expressed his belief that the regime sought the weapons to prepare for a potential attack against South Korea.

“He also shared that the North Korean government tasked [him] with acquiring military uniforms to be used by their soldiers for disguise during surprise attacks on South Korea,” as outlined in the affidavit.

During the interview on August 14, Wen admitted to shipping two containers of firearms from Long Beach to North Korea in October and December 2023. The North Korean regime allegedly financed the containers, shipping costs, and provided roughly $2 million for firearms and other equipment acquisitions.

In a subsequent interview on September 11, Wen mentioned that he had purchased many firearms in Texas and transported them to California over three trips, according to the affidavit. The regime is also said to have directed him to acquire civilian airplane engines for its military drone initiatives.

“Wen faces charges of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which could result in a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in federal prison,” the DOJ stated.

The investigation into the case is ongoing.

Wen is set to make his initial appearance on the afternoon of December 3, as conveyed by a DOJ spokesperson to The Epoch Times in an emailed communication. He has been ordered to remain in custody without bail, with an arraignment scheduled for January 7, 2025, at 11 a.m.

The Epoch Times attempted to contact Wen’s attorney for remarks but did not receive a response prior to publication.