Iranian national Shamim Mafi arrested at LAX for arms trafficking to Sudan

On Saturday, Shamim Mafi, a 44-year-old Iranian citizen and legal permanent resident of the U.S., was apprehended at Los Angeles International Airport. U.S. federal prosecutors have accused her of facilitating the sale of military equipment produced in Iran to Sudan, which includes drones, bombs, bomb fuses, and millions of rounds of ammunition. The arrest was publicized on Sunday by U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli through social media, where he shared photos of Mafi with federal agents, a large drone on the tarmac, her identification documents, and stacks of cash. Residing in Woodland Hills, a suburb of Los Angeles, Mafi could face up to 20 years in federal prison if found guilty, amid claims of arms trafficking for the Iranian government.