In brief
Shamim Mafi, a 44-year-old woman, was apprehended at Los Angeles International Airport on charges related to trafficking weapons from Iran to Sudan, where a catastrophic civil conflict continues. Prosecutors claim she brokered sales of drones, ammunition, and bomb fuses through a business in Oman connected to the Iranian military. Mafi could face a prison sentence of up to 20 years if convicted.
LOS ANGELES — A 44-year-old woman from Los Angeles has been arrested on allegations of facilitating weapon trafficking from Iran to Sudan, currently embroiled in a devastating civil war. Shamim Mafi reportedly arranged for the sale of drones, bomb fuses, and millions of rounds of ammunition, working through a company in Oman. Federal prosecutors disclosed that Mafi had submitted a letter of intent to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) for purchasing bomb fuses for Sudan. Mafi, who has lived in the U.S. as a permanent resident since 2016, faces serious charges that could lead to a prison sentence of up to 20 years if found guilty. As the civil conflict in Sudan deepens, humanitarian crises continue to unfold, with food shortages affecting millions.
