US Dismantles Emtrasur Boeing 747 Following Legal Forfeiture

In a significant move underscoring the enforcement of US export control laws, the Boeing 747-300M registered as YV3531, previously operated by Emtrasur Cargo, has been dismantled in the United States. This action comes shortly after the aircraft was transported from Buenos Aires Ministro Pistarini to Miami Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport on February 12, marking the culmination of an 18-month collaborative effort between US authorities and the Argentinian government.

The US Department of Justice highlighted that the aircraft’s transfer from Mahan Air, an Iranian airline, to Emtrasur constituted a breach of US export control regulations. Mahan Air is under sanctions by the United States, which prohibits it from engaging in transactions involving commodities exported from the US that are subject to Export Administration Regulations. Furthermore, the US posited that the unauthorized transfer of the B747 directly supported the activities of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) and Hizballah, both designated as terrorist organizations by the United States.

The aircraft, with a manufacturing serial number (msn) 23413, was 38 years old at the time of its scrapping. It had a storied history, having first been delivered to UTA – Union de Transports Aériens in January 1986. Following its stint with UTA, the aircraft served various other airlines, including Air France from 1992 to 2006, a brief period with Garuda Indonesia in 2006, Blue Airways from 2009 to 2021, and Mahan Air from 2009 to 2021 before its illicit transfer to the now-inactive subsidiary of Conviasa.

This episode underscores the complexities of international aviation and the implications of US sanctions law, as well as the rigorous enforcement actions taken by the US government against entities that violate these regulations. The dismantling of YV3531 serves as a stark reminder of the legal and operational risks associated with non-compliance with international sanctions and export control laws.