Smuggler jailed for 40 years after shipping ballistic missile parts from Iran

A Pakistani national has been sentenced to 40 years in a US prison for shipping ballistic missile parts from Iran to Houthi rebels in Yemen. Muhammad Pahlawan, 49, used a fishing boat, the Yunus, to transport the components in December last year. The components were found to be sophisticated Iranian-made warheads and anti-ship cruise missiles.

Pahlawan was part of a larger operation funded by two Iranian brothers who are allegedly affiliated with Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps. He had been paid £25,200 for the trip, described as "danger money" by US prosecutors.

The crew of the Yunus said they had no idea what was inside the large packages on board and were duped into taking part in the smuggling operation. Pahlawan kept to himself during the voyage, often staying in his cabin and watching movies on his phone.

The boat was intercepted by a US Navy ship off the coast of Somalia, where Pahlawan's crew claimed they were being attacked by pirates. However, it was later revealed that the US Navy had boarded the boat and found the contraband.

In total, 12 men from Pakistan joined Pahlawan on the voyage, all of whom were in it for the money. They were paid varying amounts to take part, with some receiving as little as £10,000.

The US has been cracking down on Iranian shipments to Yemen's Houthi rebels, who have carried out numerous attacks on vessels and ships in the region. The US Department of War stated that "very quickly, most shipping companies decided to redirect all their vessels, where possible, around South Africa rather than transiting through the Red Sea".

The incident highlights the dangers posed by Iran's alleged smuggling operations and the impact they have on global maritime trade.

I'm so worried about these poor sailors who got caught up in this smuggling operation . I mean, can you imagine being on a boat with no idea what's going on and then getting boarded by the Navy? It's crazy! And all for £25,200 - that's not even a decent savings amount, let alone a life-changing sum .

I think the fact that they were paid "danger money" is really interesting. Is it just a way to encourage people to take risks without thinking about the consequences? I don't get it .

And what's even more disturbing is that these sailors could have been attacked by pirates or something . The US Navy had to intervene and protect them, which is just crazy .

It's no wonder that shipping companies are avoiding the Red Sea now - it's a nightmare scenario for anyone who works on the water . We need to be talking about this more and making sure our sailors and truckers (or whatever) can do their jobs without getting caught up in smuggling operations .

Ugh I cant even believe this , 40 years in prison for shipping out ballistic missile parts from Iran to Yemen?! That's insane! What were these guys thinking?! They just wanted a quick £25k and ended up getting caught up in something super serious . And can you blame them if they didn't know what was going on? I mean, who wouldn't want to sail across the ocean with no idea what's in those boxes ? But seriously, this is so reckless and puts lives at risk every time these shipments happen.

And think about the innocent people caught up in this too - the guys from Pakistan who were just looking for a paycheck . They didn't sign up for this, they're just as much victims as Pahlawan is. It's like, can't we all just get along and ship out goods without all the drama?

I'm so frustrated that these types of operations are still happening and the US Navy keeps intercepting ships to stop it . We need to talk about some real solutions here - not just more punishment for those caught up in smuggling ops . What do you guys think?

OMG you guys , this is just wild! So like a Pakistani dude, Muhammad Pahlawan, gets caught for shipping these crazy advanced missile parts from Iran to Yemen . I mean who does that? And it's not like he was even paid much for the trip, £25k or whatever . But the thing is, most of the crew on this fishing boat were in it just for the money and didn't know what they were doing with those packages .

And can you believe how sneaky Iran is? Using a fishing boat to smuggle these contraband items . The US Navy was like "surprise" when they found out what was on board . I guess this just goes to show how the US is cracking down on Iranian shipments and how that's affecting global trade .

It's also pretty wild that 12 guys from Pakistan joined Pahlawan for the money . I mean, who wouldn't want £10k or whatever? But seriously, it's crazy what people will do for cash . Anyway, just thought I'd share my two cents

Ugh this guy Pahlawan is literally so reckless I mean, 40 years in prison? That's crazy talk for a fishing trip gone wrong But at the same time, you can't blame him for getting caught up in something he didn't know about - and those crew members who took part in it were just looking out for some quick cash . It's like we always say in school, if you're gonna do something, do it right or don't do it at all .

I wonder how the US Navy figured out what was going on - I mean, a fishing boat? You've got to be kidding me! But seriously, it's just another example of how global events can have such huge repercussions for our daily lives . Anyway, hope Pahlawan gets some decent time behind bars and that the maritime trade situation in the Red Sea calms down soon

Yooo, did you see this? So like a Pakistani dude gets 40 yrs in the slammer for shipping ballistic missile parts to these rebels in Yemen... what's the deal with that? It seems like a lot of people were in on it for the $$, even though they had no idea what was going on. I'm not buying the "pirates" excuse either, sounds like some fishy stuff to me . And what about the two Iranian brothers who funded this whole thing? Are they getting any heat from the authorities? That's what I want to know...

I'm not surprised really, these kind of smuggling operations have been going on for ages... It's crazy how 12 guys from Pakistan could be so blinded by money . I mean, who gets duped into shipping ballistic missile parts? The Yunus crew had no idea what was inside those packages, but they still took the cash and risked their lives .

I feel bad for them, really... But at the same time, you can't just turn a blind eye to someone trying to sell out others like that. It's just not right.

Anyway, I guess this is another example of how Iran's influence in the region is causing problems . The US Navy's got their eyes on it now, but what about the guys who funded these operations? They're still out there, doing whatever they can to cause trouble...

I'm still shaking my head about this one... 40 years in prison is a huge sentence for just doing what he was told to do, right? I mean, Pahlawan was basically a pawn in a much bigger game, and the fact that his crew had no idea what they were getting involved with makes it even more tragic. And those Iranian brothers who funded this op... allegedly affiliated with Iran's military, but we don't know all the details yet

The thing is, shipping parts to Yemen for someone as notorious as Houthi rebels just isn't something you can casually get involved in. It's like, come on, use your common sense! And now Pahlawan and his crew are facing decades in prison... it just doesn't seem right

u know what really grinds me about this story? it's how all those guys got roped into doing something so shady for £10k each like, imagine having to risk ur life and freedom just 4 a payday that barely covers ur living expenses and all for the sake of some Iranian brothers' 'operation'... meanwhile, these ppl in the US Navy are literally risking their lives too, and no one's even talking about that

and can we talk bout the layout of this article? it's like they just threw a bunch of facts at us without any real structure or organization like, what's the main point again?

Omg did u no that some dude got 40 yrs in US prison for shipping ballistic missile parts from Iran to Yemen?? Like what even is that? He used a fishing boat to transport these super cool (not) warheads & missiles, and his crew had no idea what was goin on lol. They were just paid to be part of the operation. The 2 Iranians who funded this whole thing r allegedly affiliated with Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps . And now shippers are avoidin the Red Sea like it's a plague because of all these smuggling ops

This whole thing is wild fam! I mean, can you even imagine being duped into shipping ballistic missile parts from Iran to Yemen? The fact that Pahlawan kept it all to himself and just chillin' in his cabin watching movies is just insane . And 40 years in prison is no joke, bruh! The whole operation was clearly set up by the Iranian brothers who are allegedly affiliated with the IRGC. I'm not surprised they got caught but it's crazy how deep this goes . It's like, why even try to smuggle these parts through Somalia when you can just use a fishing boat? The US Navy must have been on high alert in that area though, good job for intercepting the Yunus!

Ugh I'm getting so tired of these "shipping" threads on here... it's like every single time someone posts about it, they're going to get caught up in some shady operation . I mean, what's wrong with people? Can't they just take a simple job without getting entangled in something that's gonna land them in hot water?

And another thing, £10k for taking part in this smuggling op? That's not even enough to cover the cost of a decent plane ticket . I swear, these guys are either really desperate or just stupid.

And what's with the US Navy always having to step in and save the day? It feels like they're just waiting for some poor soul to get caught up in one of these smuggling operations so they can swoop in and say "hey, we saved you"... .

Ugh, this is so messed up ! I mean, I get it, we gotta keep an eye on these kinds of operations, but 40 years in prison for a guy who was basically forced into doing something? That's harsh, right? And what about the other 11 guys who were on the boat with him? They were just looking to make some cash, not exactly a mastermind smuggling crew. And those Iranian brothers, how much more evidence do we need that they're involved in some shady stuff?

man this is crazy how some ppl will do whatever 4 a few grand i mean 12 guys from pakistan gettin paid £10k each & they just go along with it without even askin questions what kinda ppl r these? anyway, 40 yrs in prison seems like a pretty harsh sentence but i guess when u r shipdin ballistic missile parts around, that's a big deal