Authorities have arrested a Pakistani-Canadian national, Mohammad Jawaid Aziz (67), for allegedly running a long-term scheme to bypass U.S. export control laws and smuggle American technology to entities linked with Pakistan’s military and weapons programs.
Officials detained Aziz on March 21 in the Western District of Washington while he attempted to cross into the U.S. from Canada. He remains in custody, awaiting transfer to the District of Minnesota.
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Charges and Allegations
Aziz faces multiple charges, including conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Export Control Reform Act, which could result in a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Additionally, violating the Export Control Reform Act itself carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
According to the indictment, from 2003 to March 2019, Aziz operated an illicit procurement network through his Canada-based company, Diversified Technology Services. The network’s goal was to acquire U.S.-origin goods for restricted Pakistani entities connected to nuclear, missile, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) programs.
Authorities allege that Aziz procured sensitive and restricted items listed under Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and the Commerce Control List from U.S. companies, disguising their true end-users.
Concealing the Transactions
The Department of Justice revealed that Aziz and his co-conspirators, including an individual named Siddiqui, took deliberate measures to hide the actual buyers of the goods. They allegedly used front companies and routed shipments through third countries to avoid detection.
