Federal authorities have detained Shamim Mafi, a 44-year-old Iranian woman and U.S. permanent resident, at Los Angeles International Airport for allegedly orchestrating a significant arms smuggling operation on behalf of Iran. According to a criminal complaint, Mafi brokered deals totaling over $70 million, which included the sale of Iranian-made armed drones, bombs, bomb fuses, and millions of rounds of ammunition to Sudan, violating U.S. sanctions laws. She was preparing to fly from LAX to Turkey when law enforcement officers made the arrest, highlighting the international scope of the alleged scheme.

The investigation reveals that Mafi used multiple locations, including California, Turkey, and Oman, to facilitate the transactions, leveraging an Oman-based company and routing payments through Turkey and the UAE. She reportedly communicated extensively with an Iranian intelligence officer and maintained close ties with Iran’s government and military entities, such as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The charges also implicate her in conspiracy under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, with a potential maximum sentence of 20 years if convicted. Her contacts with Iranian officials and her travel history underscore her deep connections to Iran’s military and intelligence operations.