Credit James Hider for looking into the global reach of Iranian weapons smuggling. This isn’t just about one shipment of guns and rockets intercepted in Nigeria:
The capture of the arms, which included Katyusha multiple rocket launchers, underlines fears that Iran is developing a global network for moving weapons and people. Israel is concerned that Tehran is exploiting weak points in global security that have previously been used by drug cartels . . .
The scale of Iran-backed networks to smuggle men and arms around the world was demonstrated in July when Mexican police said that they had arrested the head of a Hezbollah cell in Tijuana, on the border with the United States, prompting fears that the militants could use drug and immigrant trafficking routes to infiltrate America.
Iran has made no secret of its intention to expand its global influence, forging strong ties with the Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, another rival of the United States and a fellow member of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries.
Hider also notes previous incidents including:
- The Francop arms ship carrying 500 tons of weapons destined for Hezbollah.
- A recently busted Iranian-Italian smuggling ring
- A shipment for Hezbollah intercepted in Thailand
- A convoy destined for Gaza which Israel destroyed in Sudan.
And earlier this year, the NY Times looked into Iranian shell companies complicating the cat-and-mouse efforts.
Related reading: Nigerian Weapons Haul Shows Lengths Iran Will Go to Supply Hamas
