Philly Man Admits To Selling Gun Parts Internationally

PHILADELPHIA — A Philadelphia man admitting in court his plan to smuggle more than $200,000 in firearm parts from the United States to Turkey and the Republic of Georgia.

Federal authorities said Ibrahim Karabatak, 35, of Philadelphia, pleaded guilty in Camden federal court to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to violate the Arms Export Control Act and U.S. anti-smuggling laws.

Karabatak admitted that from November 2018 through March 2019, he and other conspirators agreed to ship firearms parts from the United States to Turkey and the Republic of Georgia.

Karabatak and others used credit cards, Pay Pal accounts, and other forms of payment to purchase firearms parts from suppliers in the United States.

He would then repackage the firearms parts, falsely label the contents of the package, and export the firearms parts to customers in Turkey and the Republic of Georgia.

To disguise their role in the conspiracy, Karabatak and his conspirators used aliases when sending the packages containing prohibited items.

When they got the firearms parts, the customers in Turkey and in the Republic of Georgia directly paid Karabatak in cash while he was in Turkey. Other conspiators were paid via international wire transfers.

The firearms parts included upper receivers, barrels, and magazines for several types of Glock handguns, including Glocks in the following calibers: 9mm, .40 caliber, and .357 caliber.

The Arms Export Control Act prohibits the export of defense articles and defense services without first obtaining a license from the U.S. Department of State.

During the course of the conspiracy, Karabatak and others purchased and directed the unlawful exportation of more than $200,000 worth of defense articles from the United States to Turkey and the Republic of Georgia without the required export license.

The conspiracy charge to which Karabatak pleaded guilty is punishable by a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 10, 2022.