The U.S. Justice Department has charged a Chinese national with illegally shipping weapons and ammunition to North Korea from California. The complaint, filed in the Central District of California, accuses Shenghua Wen and unnamed co-conspirators of sending at least two shipments of firearms and ammunition hidden inside containers from Long Beach, California, through Hong Kong to North Korea.
On August 14, federal agents seized two devices from Wen’s Ontario, California, home. Wen reportedly admitted that he planned to send these devices to North Korea for military use. The items included a Serstech Arx mkII Pharma device, used for chemical threat identification, and an ANDRE Deluxe Near-Field Detection device, designed to locate hidden eavesdropping equipment.
On September 6, agents also discovered 50,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition in Wen’s van. Wen allegedly confessed that he procured the ammunition for shipment to North Korea, directed by North Korean officials. Prosecutors revealed that Wen is a Chinese national who entered the U.S. in 2012 on a student visa but stayed after his visa expired, making him prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Wen reportedly told investigators that he had met with North Korean officials at two consulates in China before arriving in the U.S. They allegedly knew he was skilled in smuggling and instructed him to acquire military-grade goods. Wen claimed North Korean officials sent him about $2 million to buy firearms and other items for the regime, believing the weapons were intended for a possible attack on South Korea.
The complaint further alleges that Wen purchased firearms by using “straw purchasers,” individuals who bought the weapons on his behalf to avoid detection by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Wen then transported the firearms from Texas to California, where they were packed into shipping containers for delivery to North Korea. The shipments occurred in October and December of 2023.
Wen also purchased an armory and a federal firearm license in Texas for $150,000, registering the business under his partner’s name to avoid raising red flags.
During a press conference, U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada called the allegations “chilling,” noting that North Korea was allegedly using an operative on U.S. soil to acquire high-grade military technology and equipment. “The purpose of this allegedly was to help conduct an attack on one of our allies, South Korea,” he said.
This case marks a significant development in national security, as federal authorities continue to investigate the smuggling network.
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