Weapons Smuggler Sentenced to 40 Years in U.S. Prison

Wed Oct 22 2025 04:30:56 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

A Pakistani man, Muhammad Pahlawan, receives a 40-year jail sentence after being caught smuggling ballistic missile parts from Iran to Houthi rebels in Yemen. The decision sheds light on the complex networks behind such illegal arms shipments.

Muhammad Pahlawan, a Pakistani national, has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for his role in smuggling ballistic missile components from Iran to Houthi rebels in Yemen. Caught during a U.S. military operation in January 2024, he was convicted on multiple counts including terrorism offenses and transporting weapons of mass destruction. Testimony from his crew revealed they believed they were on a fishing trip and did not know about the dangerous cargo onboard, which included sophisticated weapon systems.

A weapons smuggler who used a fishing boat to ship ballistic missile parts from Iran to Houthi rebels in Yemen has been sentenced to 40 years in a US prison.

Pakistani national Muhammad Pahlawan was detained during a US military operation in the Arabian Sea in January 2024 - during which two US Navy Seals drowned.

Pahlawan's crew testified they had been duped into taking part, having believed they were working as fishermen.

The Houthis had launched sustained missile and drone attacks on Israel at the time and targeted international commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, claiming to be supporting Gazans. Iran consistently denies arming the Houthis.

The crew's testimonies in a Virginia court provide insight into a smuggling operation that helped fuel these attacks. Pahlawan was sentenced on five counts, including terrorism and transporting weapons of mass destruction, making his total 40 years in prison.

As described in court, the eight crew members who testified stated they were unaware of the dangerous cargo, referring to their duties as that of fishermen. However, Pahlawan understood the risks, calling himself a 'walking dead person' in messages with his wife prior to his arrest.

For his smuggling tasks, Pahlawan was allegedly compensated with around 1,400 million rials (£25,200; $33,274), which prosecutors termed as 'danger money.' The operation was funded by two Iranian brothers alleged to have ties to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the US.

During a 2024 boarding operation, US Navy Seals attempted to intercept Pahlawan's vessel YUNUS. A tragic outcome saw two Navy Seals drown during the mission. After a two-day hold on the ship, crew members were interrogated by US military personnel, during which Pahlawan's threats to his crew led to their silence regarding his role.

This operation is part of a broader context of arms smuggling impacting regional security, reflecting ongoing tensions that see the Houthis armed against international interests.