Press releases from the Department of Justice or FBI

Chinese Illegal Immigrant Shenghua Wen Charged with Smuggling Weapons to North Korea via Long Beach Port

Dec 3, 2024, 10:19 PM

Federal authorities have arrested 41-year-old Chinese national Shenghua Wen, who was living illegally in California, for allegedly exporting firearms, ammunition, and military technology to North Korea. According to the Department of Justice, Wen and his co-conspirators concealed weapons inside shipping containers labeled as refrigerators and camera accessories and shipped them from Long Beach, California, through Hong Kong, to North Korea. The shipments occurred at least twice last year. Wen allegedly told the FBI he was 'good at smuggling' and admitted to being directed by North Korean agents, who paid him millions of dollars to procure and ship the weapons. He also purchased a weapons dealership in Texas for $150,000 to facilitate his operations. Prosecutors stated that Wen was helping the North Korean regime prepare for a potential 'surprise attack' against South Korea, and that he was attempting to acquire military uniforms for this purpose. He was charged with felony conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.