Chinese national sentenced for smuggling weapons from California to North Korea

An undocumented Chinese man has been sentenced to eight years in prison Monday for running a weapons smuggling operation that sent firearms and military technology from California to North Korea on behalf of Pyongyang’s government officials.

What he did: Shenghua Wen, 42, an Ontario resident, arrived in the U.S. on a student visa in 2012 but remained after its December 2013 expiration. His illegal activities began before entering the country, when North Korean embassy officials in China instructed him to procure goods for their government. In 2022, North Korean officials contacted him through an online messaging platform to begin the weapons smuggling scheme. Wen purchased Super Armory, a Houston firearms business, in May 2023 for $150,000 using North Korean funds, registering it under another person’s name. He also told investigators he attempted to acquire military uniforms to help North Korean soldiers disguise themselves for a surprise attack against South Korea.

Charges: Wen pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and acting as an unregistered foreign agent. He shipped at least three containers of firearms from Long Beach port, with the weapons first going to China before reaching North Korea. In September 2024, he purchased 60,000 rounds of 9-millimeter ammunition intended for North Korean delivery, just months before his arrest. FBI agents discovered this ammunition in a van at his residence. North Korean officials transferred approximately $2 million to him for his services.

Why this matters: UN resolutions ban North Korean weapons imports and exports. The case, however, exposes how the isolationist regime uses individuals within the U.S. to bypass such sanctions and strengthen its military arsenal. This is especially troubling given Kim Jong Un’s recent deployment of nuclear-capable missiles near the South Korean border.

Wen also acquired advanced technology including chemical threat detection equipment and handheld devices capable of identifying various radio transmissions, as well as thermal imaging systems designed for aircraft mounting and military reconnaissance.