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Home » Law In Travel » Busted: How A New Jersey Woman Smuggled Airline Parts Into Iran
Law In TravelNews

Busted: How A New Jersey Woman Smuggled Airline Parts Into Iran

Matthew KlintPosted onJune 12, 2019June 13, 20197 Comments

Iran AIr Smuggling

A New Jersey woman faces up to five years in prison for her role in a scheme to smuggle airline parts illegally into Iran.

Joyce Eliabachu pleaded guilty on Tuesday to playing a pivotal role in smuggling over $2,000,000 in airline parts to desperate Iranian airlines. As tensions between the USA and Iran have soured and sanctions have been re-introduced, Iranian airlines are once again starved for spare parts for their aging fleets. Boeing and Airbus deals to Iran Air and other Iranian carriers have been blocked, meaning older aircrafts must be kept airworthy.

Eliabachu ran the operation from her Morristown home, about 30 minutes west of Newark International Airport. Parts were first shipped to Turkey, then to the United Abab Emirates, and finally to Iran. Between 2015-2017, 49 shipments containing 23,554 license-controlled aircraft parts reached Iran. Her co-conspirator, Peyman Amiri Larijani, faces money laundering and conspiracy charges.

I write about this story because I am always fascinated about how people capitalize upon political events to make money. Just like the Prohibition Era in the United States was a great boon to organized crime, so are embargoes and blockades to those who find ways to work around them. I cannot condone unlawful behavior, but I am impressed by the operation Eliabachus ran from her own home.

You can read the Department of Justice press release here, which contains far more details on the case.

CONCLUSION

As tensions rise between the United States and Islamic Republic, these sorts of “opportunities” will continue to be exploited. Whenever there is a market for goods, there will be some willing to take the risk to reap the financial rewards. But as Eliabachu faces five years in prison, I’m sure she is wondering whether the risk was ever worthwhile…

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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7 Comments

  1. Greg Reply
    June 12, 2019 at 5:48 pm

    I didn’t know Morristown is in the Atlantic Ocean- FYI transposed directions

    • Matthew Reply
      June 13, 2019 at 8:59 am

      Thanks Greg! Fixed it.

  2. Bob McGurtyReply
    June 13, 2019 at 12:34 am

    Same comment here, I have been to Morristown, NJ , it is north and west of Newark.

  3. SatanyahooReply
    June 13, 2019 at 5:06 am

    Wasn’t it legal till a couple of years ago,till Israel pressured US to renege on the Treaty?

    • Matthew Reply
      June 13, 2019 at 8:57 am

      It was, but it required a license. She did it without a license.

    • docntx Reply
      June 13, 2019 at 12:25 pm

      @ Satanyahoo Aah, yes, Israel, the Jews that “occupy” 0.1% of the Middle East are always the source of the problem.

  4. Pingback: 52 Year Old New Jersey Woman Was Supplying Parts to Iran's Airlines - View from the Wing

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