Brooklyn Indictment Alleges Man Illegally Shipped Firearms Parts to Kazakhstan

A U.S. man has been accused of illegally exporting firearm components to Kazakhstan. The country served as a transit point, with the shipment bound for Russia, Orda.kz reports.

Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn unsealed an indictment against 42-year-old Maksim Larin. He is suspected of using his own companies to sell and ship gun parts and tactical accessories abroad in violation of U.S. law.

Among the items was the Raptar, a high-precision targeting device used for long-range strikes.

The Scheme

Starting in December 2022, Larin coordinated with a Russian partner to move shipments through Kazakhstan. To bypass controls, he undervalued goods and listed false contents such as “clothing, tools, and a switch.” In reality, the boxes contained firearm parts, triggers, grips, and targeting systems.

For example, in approximately December 2022, Larin emailed the co-defendant warning him about parcels with images of 'soldiers on the packaging. It may be a red flag for the customs if they open it.' Larin further asked his co-defendant 'Would you like us to remove the package boxes, or take a risk with the customs?' the report reads.

In May 2023, he sent another batch of parts to Kazakhstan, and in December, he purchased a Raptar for a client, which was also routed through the U.S. The shipment was intercepted in California.

Larin was arrested in Florida and brought before a federal court. He faces several charges, including conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government, violations of export control laws, smuggling, and false declarations.

If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison.

As alleged, Larin agreed to illegally ship export-controlled weapons parts and accessories, including a sophisticated target acquisition system, to Kazakhstan, a known transshipment location for equipment bound for Russia. He lied on export documents and intentionally misrepresented and concealed the true nature of the materials he was shipping. My Office will vigorously prosecute efforts to evade U.S. export regulations which threaten our national security and the security of our allies while benefitting Russia. We will continue to use every tool at our disposal to hold accountable those individuals who place their own interests above those of our nation and its security, stated United States Attorney Nocella.

Since April 2024, the U.S. Commerce Department has tightened firearms export rules for “high-risk countries,” a list that now includes Kazakhstan.

Original Author: Alina Pak