Los Angeles Woman Arrested on Charges of Iran-Sudan Arms Trafficking
Federal prosecutors in Los Angeles have announced the arrest of a 44-year-old woman on suspicion of facilitating weapons trafficking from Iran to Sudan, a country embroiled in a devastating civil war. The arrest occurred at Los Angeles International Airport on Saturday night, marking a significant development in international arms enforcement efforts.
Details of the Allegations and Arrest
Shamim Mafi, an Iranian national who became a lawful permanent resident of the United States in 2016, faces serious charges related to arms brokering. According to First US Attorney Bill Essayli, who made the announcement via social media on Sunday, Mafi is accused of brokering the sale of "drones, bombs, bomb fuses, and millions of rounds of ammunition" between Iran and the Sudanese Armed Forces.
Essayli posted a photo depicting an individual in an FBI jacket escorting a woman into a sedan outside a terminal at LAX, though Mafi's legal representation remains unknown as a phone number for her could not be located. The criminal complaint, dated March 12, alleges that Mafi and an unnamed co-conspirator operated a company in Oman called Atlas International Business, which was used as a conduit for trafficking weapons and ammunition.
Financial Transactions and Court Documents
The court documents reveal that Atlas International Business received over $7 million in payments in 2025, highlighting the scale of the alleged operations. Additionally, Mafi and her co-conspirator are accused of brokering the sale of 55,000 bomb fuses to the Sudanese Ministry of Defense. In connection with this transaction, Mafi submitted a letter of intent to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to purchase the bomb fuses for Sudan, as stated in the complaint.
Mafi is scheduled to appear in US District Court in Los Angeles on Monday. If convicted, she could face up to 20 years in prison, underscoring the severity of the charges under US law.
Context of the Sudanese Civil War
The allegations come against the backdrop of Sudan's bloody civil war, now in its fourth year, which has created a severe humanitarian crisis. Food supplies are dwindling, and millions of people have been displaced from their homes, fleeing violence and instability. The trafficking of weapons into such a conflict zone exacerbates the suffering and prolongs the conflict, drawing international condemnation.
This case highlights ongoing concerns about illicit arms networks and their impact on global security, particularly in regions affected by prolonged conflicts like Sudan.
