Exporting Illegal Arms-Baltimore

Reinhard Rusli, 33, and Helmi Soedirdja, 34, pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court for trying to illegally export arms to Indonesia through undercover federal agents and for money laundering. ^[1]

They were swept up in an undercover operation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the FBI and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. ^[2]

The pair contacted undercover agents to buy monocular night vision and holographic weapons sight devices, weapons which are on a list requiring permission from the State Department to export them.^[3]
Rusli and Soedirdja transferred $2,950 from Indonesia to the United States on Aug. 31. ^[4] They then went to Guam on Sept. 21 and met with undercover agents to examine the night vision devices and discussed trying to buy more military technology. ^[5] The men were later arrested at an airport in Guam with the devices in their luggage. ^[6]

Rusli and Soedirdja face a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison and up to a $500,000 fine for money laundering. 18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(1). Since money laundering can be linked to international terrorism, the U.S. is aggressively prosecuting money launderers across the globe. The statute for money laundering specifically lists as an unlawful activity smuggling or export control violations involving an item controlled on the United States Munitions List under section 38 of the Arms Export Control Act. 18 U.S.C. § 1956(c)(7)(B)(v)(I). Additionally, the money laundering statute establishes jurisdiction over foreign persons and foreign financial institutions. 18 U.S.C. § 1956(b(2).
Violations of 22 U.S.C. 2778, Control of Arms Exports and Imports, carry a sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine or both.
The sting also netted a suspected international arms dealer, and three men associated with the Tamil Tigers terrorist group which is on the U.S. State Department's list of foreign terrorist organizations. ^[7]

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[1] Brian Witte, 2 Plead Guilty to trying to Illegally Export Arms to Indonesia, Associated Press, January 30, 2007.
[2] Id.
[3] Id.
[4]Id.
[5] Id.
[6] Id.
[7] Id.