A federal jury in the United States has convicted a Pakistani national, Pahlawan, aged 49, for his involvement in smuggling Iranian-made advanced weapons that were reportedly intended for the Houthi rebel group in Yemen. The charges also include threatening his own crew members during the smuggling operation.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, U.S. Navy and Coast Guard forces stopped an unflagged dhow (a small wooden boat) in the Arabian Sea off Somalia on the night of January 11, 2024. The operation was carried out by personnel from the USS Lewis B. Puller, including Navy SEALs and the U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Security Response Team East.
There were 14 men on the vessel, including Captain Pahlawan. A search of the boat led to the discovery of Iranian-made weapons, including ballistic missile parts, anti-ship cruise missile components, and a warhead.
Authorities confirmed that these weapons were similar to those being used by the Houthis
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