U.S. disrupts supposed Iranian ammunition transport overseas, files forfeiture action

After seizing a flagless vessel in the Arabian Sea on Dec. 1, 2022, U.S. Central Command forces took more than 1 million rounds of ammunition, among other weapon supplies, and as of last week, the Justice Department filed a forfeiture complaint over it, accusing the Iranian Islamic Revolution Guard Corp (IRGC) as the source.

On top of the ammunition, the seizure last year included 6,960 proximity fuses for rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) and 2,000 kg of propellant for those RPGs. The Justice Department alleged that all of this was headed for Houthi militant groups in Yemen, care of the IRGC. The forfeiture itself was labeled part of a larger, ongoing investigation of an Iranian weapons-smuggling network.

“This forfeiture action prevents ammunition and dangerous weapons from falling into the wrong hands and highlights the importance of our investigative work to deny criminal and terrorist networks their instruments of violence and destruction,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas. “I am extremely proud of the critical investigative role played by Homeland Security Investigations alongside our law enforcement and Department of Defense partners in a collaborative whole-of-government effort.”

U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves of the District of Columbia added that seizure of the ammo would strike a blow against IRGC and its proxies and counteract the fueling of violence and conflict. It was part of an effort by the U.S. government to enforce its own sanctions against Iran but is only an allegation, not proven guilty. Still, Attorney General Merrick Garland also alleged the IRGC’s connection in the case.

“The United States disrupted a major operation by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to smuggle weapons of war into the hands of a militant group in Yemen,” Garland said. “The Justice Department is now seeking the forfeiture of those weapons, including over one million rounds of ammunition and thousands of proximity fuses for rocket-propelled grenades.”

Supposedly, the network involved sought to traffick advanced conventional weapons systems and components from sanctioned Iranian entities supportive of military action by the Houthis in Yemen and terrorist activities in the Middle East. In its complaint, the Justice Department alleged a sophisticated scheme to clandestinely ship weapons to entities that would, in turn, threaten U.S. national security.

The ongoing investigation of Iranian arms smuggling is led by the HSI Washington Field Office and the DCIS Mid-Atlantic Field Office, with support from U.S. Naval Forces Central Command.