According to his plea agreement, [Shenghua] Wen is a citizen of the People’s Republic of China who entered the United States in 2012 on a student visa and remained in the U.S. illegally after his student visa expired in December 2013.
Prior to entering the United States, Wen met with officials from North Korea’s government at a North Korean embassy in China. These government officials directed Wen to procure goods on behalf of North Korea.
In 2022, two North Korean government officials contacted Wen through an online messaging platform and instructed him to buy and smuggle firearms and other goods – including sensitive technology – from the United States to North Korea via China.
In 2023, at the direction of North Korean government officials, Wen shipped at least three containers of firearms out of the Port of Long Beach to China en route to their ultimate destination in North Korea. Wen took steps to conceal that he was illegally shipping firearms to North Korea by, among other things, filing false export information regarding the contents of the containers.
In May 2023, Wen purchased a firearms business in Houston, paid for with money sent through intermediaries by one of Wen’s North Korean contacts. Wen purchased many of the firearms he sent to North Korea in Texas and drove the firearms from Texas to California, where he arranged for them to be shipped.
In December 2023, one of Wen’s weapons shipments – which falsely reported to U.S. officials that it contained a refrigerator – left the Port of Long Beach and arrived in Hong Kong in January 2024. This weapons shipment was later transported from Hong Kong to Nampo, North Korea.
In September 2024, Wen – once again acting at the direction of North Korean officials – bought approximately 60,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition that he intended to ship to North Korea.
In furtherance of the conspiracy and at the direction of North Korean officials, Wen also obtained sensitive technology that he intended to send to North Korea. This technology included a chemical threat identification device and a handheld broadband receiver that detects known, unknown, illegal, disruptive or interfering transmissions.
Wen also acquired or offered to acquire a civilian airplane engine and a thermal imaging system that could be mounted on a drone, helicopter, or other aircraft, and could be used for reconnaissance and target identification.
During the scheme, North Korean officials wired approximately $2 million to Wen to procure firearms and other goods for their government.
The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DCIS, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) are investigating the case.
That’s too many agencies. Consolidate.
How did he own a firearms store as an illegal? I assume he was buying wholesale. Did he have an FFL?
Maybe, just maybe having tens of millions of illegals is a security threat.
No, no, no. You’re clearly confused.
Having millions of military age men illegally here increases our security.
What with their occupying government buildings, torching property, looting businesses and assaulting citizens all while waving their nations flag and burning ours.
Only a bigot would interpret these actions as anything less than ideal. Certainly not the actions of an invading lead force here to destabilize a nation.
Just lay back and enjoy the cultural enrichment. If you’re still uncomfortable there’s always fentanyl or assisted suicide.
“In May 2023, Wen purchased a firearms business in Houston…” How?
The money trail: LA Riot [i.e. insurrection warfare] Funding Tied To Dems, ActBlue, SEIU, & Newsom.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oj5f61aORv0
BREAKING: Hearing Protection Act Update – Feds Pushing Back On States.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37vWgAI1_gg
Maybe This is Why Everyone Should Have an AR-15.
“Today we head back to Illinois and yet another challenge to their assault weapon ban. Washington Gun Law President, William Kirk, discusses the Amicus brief filed in the matter of Barnett v. Raoul, by Barry Arrington of the National Association for Gun Rights. This memorandum explores the very distinct possibility that the semi automatic rifle may be even more protected than the modern handgun and the reason for this lies in what the Second Amendment was designed to protect us from. And this far exceeds what the 7th Circuit contemplates.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIrdYUWN2oI
Thank God the ATF has the money and time to imprison U.S. citizens for owning a disabled rocket launcher. It’s not like they are handing out FFLs to friggin illegal aliens from China.
Erik,
Just wait ’til all those Merchant Category Codes kick in – nationwide.
Wasn’t one of the big components of the Patriot Act and our new post-911 world to act on expired visas?
If the fed is going to let people on expired visas continue to live and work here decades after expiration why do I need to keep renewing all my shit?
Why bother with visas at all if they aren’t going to be enforced?
Why require American citizens to show passports on re-entry if three million foreigners a year can not only enter without ID, but can use their arrest papers as ID for getting on airplanes?
Why prohibit knives and small weapons on airplanes when the first class passengers are served lunch and dinner complete with stainless steel knives, forks, and spoons?
It’s all a farce.
Curious on North Korea’s part. China sells everything here but the “sensitive technology” and maybe thermal imaging system, and I can’t imagine it’s cheaper to smuggle in made in America stuff than buy from China. Unless NK is trying to to distance itself from Chinese arms (to look like its propping up domestic product?) or vice versa (somewhat more likely), I’d have to assume it’s testing their agent and smuggling channel’s ability to acquire and transport sensitive items before going for the actually important stuff.
This May Be The Assault Weapons Ban Case The Supreme Court Is Waiting For.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1GK1DqASoQ
So, we should keep giving out student visas to people from hostile countries? So they can keep stealing our intellectual property, import bio weapons, and NOW illegally buy a store, an FFL and export weapons to other hostile countries? Sounds great! China owns large US food distributors too! I’m sure that’s a great idea!
Who what why when and how
How much $ for gun store? Who was the FFL? No one inspects refrigerators being shipped to NK? Poorly written article.
What is/was the name of the gun store? Where was it in Houston?