Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) authorities arrested Shamim Mafi, a 44-year-old Iranian national, permanently residing in Los Angeles, for trafficking arms on behalf of the Islamic regime, First Assistant US Attorney for the Central District of California, Bill Essayli, confirmed on X/Twitter on Sunday.
Mafi was arrested on Saturday night after he attempted to smuggle drones, bombs, bomb fuses, and millions of rounds of ammunition manufactured by Iran to be sold in Sudan, Essayli wrote.
She has been charged with violating 50 U.S.C. § 1705 and faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison if convicted, Essayli noted.
Mafi became a lawful permanent resident of the US in 2016, he added.
She is expected to make an initial court appearance on Monday afternoon at a district court in Los Angeles, he said.
Essayli concluded with a reminder that under the US legal system, Mafi is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
Along with his post, Essayli published pictures appearing to show FBI agents arresting Mafi, placing her in a vehicle, a drone and drone munitions, a mugshot of Mafi’s face, and a briefcase loaded with US bills in cash, respectively.
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