Two Quebec men pleaded guilty in a United States federal court to charges involving an illegal international firearms export conspiracy that targeted buyers in Dubai and Colombia, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York. Guy Deland, 68, and Charan Singh, 56, face a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine following their guilty pleas before U.S. authorities.
The Scope of the Illegal Firearms Conspiracy
Between November 2016 and April 2017, Deland and Singh conspired with co-conspirators, including a named individual, Aydan Sin, to export defense articles listed on the United States Munitions List (USML) without obtaining the required licenses, according to statements from U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo's office. Federal prosecutors established that Singh began communicating with an undercover agent (UCA) in 2016 specifically regarding the export of firearms to the United Arab Emirates. Court records show the defendants acknowledged the illegality of their actions, provided the undercover operative with an encrypted BlackBerry device for secure and secret communications, and transferred approximately $70,000 USD from Canada to the United States as a 50 percent down payment for the goods.
Target Destinations and Specific Weapon Invoices
In December 2016, Aydan Sin attempted to illegally procure handguns and Uzi submachine guns intended for delivery to Dubai and to Colombia via Panama, according to federal filings. The prosecution detailed two separate transaction invoices recovered during the investigation. A $20,575 invoice for the Dubai shipment included three Glock 9mm handguns, six magazines, two Uzi mini-submachine guns, two silencers, and 1,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition. A larger $121,175 invoice destined for Colombia included 37 Glock 9mm handguns, 74 magazines, 13 Uzi submachine guns, 13 silencers, and 3,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition. Both invoices explicitly stated that exporting the products was prohibited by law without a valid export permit. On February 6 and 7, 2017, an undercover bank account located in the Western District of New York received two separate wire transfers from a Canadian account, each totaling $34,990 USD, fulfilling the required 50 percent deposits.
Investigation and Upcoming Sentencing Dates
Following their guilty pleas, scheduled court appearances have been set for both defendants in the Western District of New York. Acara on December 18, while Charan Singh is scheduled for sentencing proceedings on January 16.
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