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http://www.ice.gov/graphics/news/newsreleases/articles/060317sandiego.htm

News Release

March 17, 2006

VETERAN PAKISTANI ARMS DEALER CONVICTED IN PLOT TO ILLEGALLY EXPORT U.S. FIGHTER JET COMPONENTS TO MIDDLE EAST

SAN DIEGO – -- United States Attorney Carol C. Lam announced that today a federal jury in San Diego found Arif Ali Durrani guilty of multiple violations of the Arms Export Control Act. Specifically, the jury convicted Durrani of four counts of Exporting Defense Articles Without a License and one count of Conspiracy to Commit Offenses Against the United States.

According to Assistant United States Attorney William Cole, who prosecuted the case, the evidence at trial established that Durrani intentionally conspired with other persons to illegally export military aircraft parts from the United States to the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, and Belgium. The illegal exports included: temperature control amplifiers for the General Electric J85 turbine engine used on the F-5 fighter and other military aircraft; an afterburner hydraulic actuator for the J85 engine; and 1st Stage Turbine Nozzles for the Honeywell T55 engine used on the Chinook military helicopter.

At trial, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents testified that many of the military components in Durrani’s illegal export plot were ultimately destined for Iran. According to court documents, Durrani, a Pakistani national, was previously convicted in 1987 of violating the Arms Export Control Act by illegally exporting HAWK missile system components from the United States to Iran. Durrani was subsequently ordered deported from the United States. The evidence at trial established that, after his deportation, Durrani settled in Rosarito Beach, Mexico, and from there orchestrated the illegal exports for which the jury found him guilty today.

The conviction today stemmed from an extensive investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. United States Attorney Lam stated, "The Arms Export Control Act exists to prevent exactly what Durrani tried to do in this case - profit from illegal, international arms trafficking." "Durrani is one of ICE's most significant arms trafficking targets in recent years. Today's conviction is testament to the perseverance of ICE agents, who, for nearly two decades, have conducted multiple investigations to expose and halt Durrani's repeated attempts to illegally export arms," said Serge Duarte, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge for ICE investigations in San Diego.

"DCIS protects America's Warfighters by working to ensure defense technology is not stolen by those who could use it against the United States or its allies," said Richard W. Gwin, Special Agent in Charge, Defense Criminal Investigative Service. Durrani is scheduled to appear for sentencing before United States District Court Judge Larry A. Burns on June 5, 2006, at 9:30 a.m.

-- ICE --