A 67-year-old dual citizen of Pakistan and Canada, Mohammad Jawaid Aziz, also known as Jawaid Aziz Siddiqui and Jay Siddiqui, has been arrested for allegedly operating a scheme to circumvent US export control laws, the US Justice Department announced.

The US Department of Justice said Siddiqui was apprehended on March 21 in the Western District of Washington while attempting to enter the United States from Canada.

According to a recently unsealed indictment, Siddiqui ran an illicit procurement network through his Canada-based company, Diversified Technology Services, from 2003 until March 2019.

The network aimed to procure US-origin goods for prohibited entities in Pakistan, specifically those linked to the country’s nuclear, missile, and drone programs.

“As alleged, Siddiqui and his co-conspirators worked to conceal the true end-users of the goods from US companies, often using front companies and transshipping goods through third countries to evade detection,” it said.

Siddiqui is accused of obtaining sensitive and restricted items from US companies while concealing the true end-users by using front companies and transshipping goods through third countries to evade detection.

He faced charges of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Export Control Reform Act, which could result in a maximum of 25 years in prison.

“A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors,” US Justice Department said.

Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, and the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security are investigating the case.

The prosecution is led by Assistant US Attorney Bradley Endicott and Trial Attorney Nicholas Hunter from the National Security Division.

They have received support from Assistant US Attorney Michelle Jensen from the US Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington, as well as the Department’s Office of International Affairs.

The head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Sue J. Bai, along with Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division and Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tambrini from the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) Chicago Field Office, announced the news.

It was further stated that the suspect and his associates used “front” or fake companies to conceal the identities of the original companies involved in the shipments, which were sent to these entities via a third country.

Homeland Security Investigations Minneapolis, the FBI Minneapolis Field Office, and the Department of Commerce’s BIS Chicago Field Office are investigating the case.

Read more

US puts curbs on firms for supporting Iran, Pakistan weapons programmes

US blacklists Pakistani companies over ‘nuclear risks’

US imposes export restrictions on 70 companies, including Pakistani firms