DOJ: Bosnian National Sentenced for Violating International Sanctions Against North Korea

• The defendant attempted to broker the sale of SA-18 Igla missiles from North Korea without required approvals.
• He pleaded guilty to violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and North Korean Sanctions Regulations.

A Bosnian citizen, Sasa Micev, was sentenced after pleading guilty to conspiring and attempting to broker the sale of Man Portable Air Defense Systems, specifically SA-18 Igla missiles, from North Korea. He worked with a co-conspirator in New Mexico to evade U.S. Department of the Treasury restrictions under the North Korea Sanctions Regulations.

Micev provided pricing information, participated in efforts to obtain the missiles through falsified documentation, and traveled to Ankara, Turkey to complete the sale. The transaction ultimately failed due to a price dispute, but Micev was prosecuted for violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and sanctions regulations.

• 60 months federal prison sentence
• 43 age of Sasa Micev

• Review transactions involving SA-18 Igla portable surface-to-air missiles for links to North Korea or Bosnia.
• Verify compliance with North Korea Sanctions Regulations and International Emergency Economic Powers Act for all arms brokering activities.
• Scrutinize documentation for signs of falsification in weapons procurement, especially involving Ankara, Turkey and New Mexico entities.

This case highlights the importance of robust controls and vigilance in monitoring international arms transactions, especially those involving sanctioned countries like North Korea. Compliance officers must ensure strict adherence to export controls and sanctions regulations, as violations can result in severe legal consequences and threaten national security. The prosecution demonstrates that attempts to circumvent these laws, even through falsified documentation or international travel, are aggressively pursued and penalized, reinforcing the need for thorough due diligence and risk assessment in all relevant transactions.