FBI Seeks Chinese National for Smuggling Drone Weapons to Iran

The FBI Seeks Chinese National for Smuggling Drone Weapons to Iran

The FBI has issued a wanted poster for Chinese national Baoxia "Emily" Liu, offering a $15 million reward for information leading to her arrest. Liu is accused of smuggling U.S. drone weapons to Iran, along with three other Chinese nationals.

The four individuals are charged with participating in a years-long conspiracy to illegally export and smuggle U.S. export-controlled items through China and Hong Kong to entities affiliated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL). These entities are responsible for the production of Tehran's missiles, weapons, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).

Liu's co-defendants are Li Yongxin, Yung Yiu Wa, and Zhong Yanlai. The State Department, under President Donald Trump, is offering the reward through its Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program. The program aims to disrupt the financial mechanisms of the IRGC and its branches, including the IRGC-Qods Force (IRGC-QF), which are designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs).

The IRGC has been involved in numerous terrorist attacks and activities globally, including through its proxies like Hamas, Hizballah, and Iran-backed militia groups in Iraq. The IRGC funds these activities through sales of military equipment, including UAVs.

According to the State Department, Liu and her associates allegedly used front companies in China to send dual-use U.S.-origin electronic components to IRGC-linked companies. These components could be used in the production of UAVs, ballistic missile systems, and other military applications. The IRGC and its supporters rely on front companies to evade sanctions and trade controls.

The announcement comes amidst heightened tensions in the region. President Trump recently ordered U.S. strikes against Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, and Israel bombarded Gaza after the Iran-backed Hamas refused hostage release deals. Hezbollah, another Iran-backed terror group, also launched a missile toward Israel.

President Trump has also sent a letter to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei offering direct negotiations to deter Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

The State Department alleges that Liu and her co-defendants misrepresented the end users of the dual-use U.S.-origin electronic components, leading U.S. companies to export goods to China under the guise that the ultimate destination was China rather than Iran. This resulted in a vast amount of dual-use U.S.-origin products with military capabilities being exported to IRGC-linked companies, violating U.S. sanctions and export control laws.

The IRGC and MODAFL have used the U.S.-controlled technology to develop and manufacture arms and weapons systems, including UAVs, which are sold to governments and groups in allied countries such as Russia, Sudan, and Yemen.