Iranian National Arrested at LAX for Attempted Arms Trafficking to Sudan
Authorities at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) have arrested Shamim Mafi, a 44-year-old Iranian national residing in Los Angeles, for attempting to smuggle arms to Sudan on behalf of the Islamic regime. According to First Assistant US Attorney for the Central District of California, Bill Essayli, Mafi was apprehended on Saturday night while trying to transport drones, bombs, bomb fuses, and millions of rounds of ammunition manufactured by Iran. Mafi, who became a lawful permanent resident of the US in 2016, has been charged with violating 50 U.S.C. § 1705. If convicted, she faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Mafi is expected to make her initial court appearance on Monday afternoon at a district court in Los Angeles. Essayli emphasized that under the US legal system, Mafi is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. 
