International Smuggling Ring Uncovered: Pakistani Smuggler Linked to Yemeni Conflict

Pakistani smuggler Muhammad Pahlawan, 49, was convicted for smuggling Iranian weaponry to Yemeni Houthis. Charged with aiding terrorists and supporting Iran's WMD programs, Pahlawan is set for sentencing with possible 20-year imprisonment. Arrested by US forces, the operation spanned August 2023 to January 2024.

Devdiscourse News Desk | Washington DC | Updated: 06-06-2025 22:25 IST | Created: 06-06-2025 22:25 IST

International Smuggling Ring Uncovered: Pakistani Smuggler Linked to Yemeni Conflict

Country:
United States

Pakistani smuggler Muhammad Pahlawan, aged 49, has been convicted by a federal jury for his involvement in a sophisticated weapons smuggling operation. He was implicated in trafficking Iranian-made arms to the Houthi rebels in Yemen, violating several US laws concerning material support to terrorist organizations.

Pahlawan faces charges of collaborating with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to supply advanced weaponry, with potential links to acts against merchant ships in the Red Sea. During a raid by US forces in January 2024, various ballistic and cruise missile components were seized from a vessel off the Somalian coast.

The operation, reportedly spanning from August 2023 to January 2024, saw Pahlawan coordinating shipments with Iranian contacts. His sentencing is scheduled for September, where he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years, reflecting the severity of his actions in the international arena.

(With inputs from agencies.)