A California-based Chinese national has been sentenced to eight years in prison after being convicted of smuggling firearms and military supplies to North Korea, as reported by the U.S. Department of Justice. Shenghua Wen, aged 42, was allegedly compensated approximately $2 million by North Korean government officials for his illegal activities, which involved shipping arms from California.
Wen, a resident of Ontario, California, has been in custody since December 2024. He pleaded guilty in June to conspiring to breach the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and acting as an unregistered foreign agent. His case highlights the ongoing challenges of enforcing international sanctions against North Korea and their methods of circumventing these restrictions.
Described as an "illegal alien" by authorities, Wen originally entered the United States on a student visa in 2012, which expired in December 2013. Prior to his arrival, he reportedly had meetings with North Korean officials at an embassy in China. In 2022, Wen was contacted through an online messaging platform by officials from North Korea, who directed him to procure military goods.
Wen admitted to shipping at least three containers of firearms from the Port of Long Beach to China, with North Korea as the intended final destination. False documentation was filed by Wen about these shipments, with one container disguised as carrying a refrigerator. This shipment made its way to Hong Kong before being rerouted to Nampo, North Korea.
In addition to shipping weapons, Wen purchased a firearms business in Houston using funds from a North Korean associate and transported the weapons to California for export. He also bought around 60,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition, intended for shipping to North Korea.
Wen further attempted to procure "sensitive technology," including a chemical threat identification device, intending these items for North Korea as well. The Department of Justice stated that Wen was fully aware of the illegality of shipping these items to North Korea at all relevant times.
The U.N. Security Council has imposed sanctions that prohibit North Korea from trading in arms and military equipment, and the U.S. has enacted additional sanctions due to North Korea's nuclear pursuits. Despite these restrictions, North Korea has demonstrated ingenuity in bypassing international sanctions. Instances of such evasions have included the U.S. blacklisting shipping companies and significant fines for corporations violating these laws.
