A fishing vessel carrying Iran’s deadly weapons. A Pakistani smuggler who called himself a “walking dead man.” And a US military operation in the Arabian Sea that stopped missile parts from reaching Houthi terrorists — but cost two Navy SEALs their lives.
This is the story of Muhammad Pahlawan, the Pakistani arms trafficker who nearly shifted the balance of power in the Middle East, until the US stopped him.
Muhammad Pahlawan, 49, has been sentenced to a staggering 40 years in a US prison after being convicted on five grave charges in a case that exposed a high-stakes weapons-smuggling operation designed to arm Houthi militants in Yemen with ballistic missile components from Iran. The Pakistani arms trafficker orchestrated a daring plot that used fishing boats to transport some of Iran’s most advanced weapon systems intended for terrorist groups.
The Fishing Vessel That Wasn’t What It Seemed
Pahlawan’s operation was devastatingly simple yet dangerously effective: disguise Iran’s deadliest weapons as innocent fishing cargo. Authorities revealed that Pahlawan used a seemingly innocent fishing vessel, the Yunus, to smuggle ballistic missile components across the Arabian Sea. According to US prosecution, Pahlawan’s crew posed as fishermen but were “misled” into the operation, completely unaware of the deadly cargo they were carrying.
The crew had transported massive, secretive packages from Chabahar, Iran, en route to their deadly destination, Houthi-controlled Yemen. What looked like a routine fishing expedition was actually a weapons pipeline that could have armed one of the world’s most dangerous terrorist groups with the firepower to strike across the Middle East.
Two Navy SEALs Paid The Ultimate Price
Pahlawan was apprehended during a covert US military operation in the Arabian Sea in January 2024, a mission that tragically claimed the lives of two Navy SEALs. These American heroes gave everything to stop this deadly cargo from reaching terrorist hands. The seizure came amid a period when the Houthis had launched relentless missile and drone strikes against Israel, claiming solidarity with Gaza.
Smuggler’s Chilling Confession
The trial exposed chilling details that revealed the dark world of international arms trafficking. In text messages to his wife, Pahlawan described himself as a “walking dead person,” reflecting the immense personal and operational risks of his criminal ventures. Even he knew the consequences of moving Iran’s weapons to terrorists, yet he did it anyway, for money.
Pahlawan was paid 1.4 billion rials ($33,274) for his role as part of a network orchestrated by Iranian siblings Yunus and Shahab Mir’kazei, who have alleged ties to the IRGC. For just over $33,000, this Pakistani smuggler was willing to arm terrorists with weapons of mass destruction.
Three Successful Missions Before America Caught Him
This wasn’t Pahlawan’s first rodeo. He had successfully executed two previous smuggling missions before his capture, recruiting a dozen men from Pakistan under the guise of legitimate employment. These unsuspecting recruits thought they were taking fishing jobs; instead, they became unwitting participants in an international arms smuggling operation that threatened regional security and armed Houthi terrorists striking Israeli cities.
40 Years Behind Bars – Justice Delivered
Pahlawan has been convicted on multiple counts, including terrorism and transportation of weapons of mass destruction. For four decades, this arms trafficker will sit in a US prison cell, paying for his role in nearly arming terrorists with Iran’s deadliest weapons.
(With ANI Inputs)
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: ZEE News
