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星期二, 2月 26, 2019

TWO MALAYSIAN NATIONALS INDICTED FOR CONSPIRING TO ILLEGALLY EXPORT FIREARM PARTS TO HONG KONG

TWO MALAYSIAN NATIONALS INDICTED FOR CONSPIRING TO ILLEGALLY
EXPORT FIREARM PARTS TO HONG KONG

BOSTON – Two Malaysian nationals were indicted today for conspiring to illegally export firearm parts from the United States to Hong Kong.

Lionel Chan, 35, a resident of Brighton, and Muhammad Mohd Radzi, 26, who resides in Brooklyn, N.Y., were each indicted on one count of conspiring to violate the Arms Export Control Act. Chan was also indicted for obstruction of justice. On Jan. 31, 2019, Chan and Radzi were arrested and charged by criminal complaint.

According to the indictment, beginning in or around March 2018, Chan began purchasing a variety of U.S.-origin firearm parts online, including parts used to assemble AR-15 assault rifles and 9MM semi-automatic handguns, for a buyer located in Hong Kong. Many of the firearm parts that Chan purchased and exported to Hong Kong are defense articles that are designated on the United States Munitions List and therefore cannot be exported from the United States without first obtaining an export license or written authorization from the U.S. Department of State. Nonetheless, Chan allegedly shipped the firearm parts via Federal Express to the buyer in Hong Kong without first obtaining the necessary export licenses. Chan intentionally concealed the contents of the shipments by providing Federal Express with false information about the shipments, and by concealing the parts inside of each package. Between March and May 2018, Chan allegedly shipped at least 12 packages containing firearm parts from Brighton to the buyer in Hong Kong.
In or around April 2018, Radzi allegedly joined the conspiracy and began illegally exporting firearm parts to Hong Kong as well. Between May and October 2018, Radzi allegedly shipped 21 packages from Brooklyn, N.Y., to the buyer in Hong Kong. In October 2018, two of those packages were interdicted by Hong Kong authorities and found to contain numerous firearms parts, including a firing pin and gun sight, which are defense articles and controlled under Category I of the United States Munitions List. Like Chan, Radzi failed to obtain an export license for any of these shipments.
In addition to the conspiracy charge, Chan was also indicted for obstructing justice.  According to the indictment, during a flight from Dublin, Ireland to Boston on January 2, 2019, Chan deleted text messages between himself and the buyer in Hong Kong regarding the illegal export of firearm parts from the United States to Hong Kong without the necessary export licenses.

The charge of conspiring to illegally export firearms provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, one year of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The charge of obstructing justice provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew Lelling and Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. The Massachusetts State Police and U.S. Customs and Border Protection also assisted with the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys George P. Varghese and Jason A. Casey of Lelling’s National Security Unit are prosecuting the case.

Details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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