A Chinese national residing in California is facing federal charges after allegedly purchasing guns and ammunition in Texas and shipping them to North Korea.
Shengua Wen, 41, who overstayed his student visa in 2012 and remained in America illegally, was arrested on Tuesday following a lengthy investigation by federal authorities.
According to a press release from the U.S. Office of Public Affairs, Wen coordinated several shipments of military-grade items, including guns, ammunition, and other equipment to North Korea. Federal immigration authorities say Wen used deceptive methods to export these items, including hiding them in shipping containers.
Before arriving in the U.S. on his visa, Wen reportedly met with North Korean officials in China to discuss a plan to obtain weapons for the North Korean government.
Wen is originally reported to be from the Ontario, Canada, area.
The criminal charges against Wen further allege that the North Korean government wired him $2 million to facilitate the purchase and shipment of weapons to the isolated country. The investigation also revealed that Wen bought firearms from a federally licensed gun dealer, “AK5000 Inc.” based in Houston, Texas, around May of 2023.
Wen, who was not authorized to purchase any guns directly, enlisted others to illegally buy the weapons on his behalf, according to the Office of Public Affairs. He allegedly paid $150,000 for the guns and then drove them to California on three separate trips.
Federal officials also discovered other concerning items during a raid of Wen’s home in August. At that time, authorities seized a “chemical threat” identification device and a handheld receiver, which Wen told investigators he also intended to ship to North Korea. The items were reportedly going to be used in surveillance and counterintelligence operations, including locating hidden listening or eavesdropping devices in North Korea, reported Fox 4 KDFW.
In September, federal agents intercepted another shipment connected to Wen, this time finding 50,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition in a van outside of his home.
“In light of the extraordinary threat North Korea poses, there must be approval from the U.S. government to ship such items to North Korea,” Attorney Martin Estrada said during a press conference on Tuesday.
The weapons were believed to be used use in North Korea’s various cloaked military activities, possibly in preparation for a strike on South Korea, according to Estrada. This comes at a sensitive time, considering the recent martial law issued in South Korea and general political distress in the country framed around North Korean imposition, as previously covered by The Dallas Express.
Wen currently faces charges of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, a felony that could result in up to 20 years in federal prison.
Authorities have not yet announced when Wen will be arraigned.