Justice Department indicts Iranian drug trafficker in alleged plot to kill US residents

The Department of Justice (DOJ) charged an Iranian-backed drug trafficker and two Canadians in connection with an alleged plot to assassinate an Iranian dissident residing in the United States.

Naji Ibrahim Sharifi-Zindashti, an Iranian drug lord who supplies heroin and opium to senior Iranian officials, used an encrypted messaging service to discuss plans to kill two people living in Maryland with Adam Pearson and Damion Ryan, two Canadian nationals, seconds to a DOJ indictment unsealed Monday. The DOJ loaded the three men became involved in a murder-for-hire plot, and Pearson was also charged with possessing a firearm as an illegal alien and as a fugitive from justice.

Zindashti had previously been linked to the Iranian regime's efforts to silence its enemies by facilitating assassinations and kidnappings in the direction of Iran. seconds in the Department of Finance. Zindashti is based in Iran and has not been detained by authorities, while the two Canadian men are jailed in Canada on unrelated charges, according to the DOJ.

According to the DOJ, Zindashti reached out to Ryan in January 2021 regarding a possible “job” in Maryland. Ryan contacted Pearson, who allegedly began making plans to arrange the murder of two Maryland residents, one of whom had previously defected from Iran.

Pearson told Ryan that he would assemble a team to carry out the assassination and that he would encourage them to “shoot”. [the victim] a lot in the head [to] make an example,” and tell them “we need to wipe the head off that torso,” according to the DOJ's indictment.

Zindashti agreed to pay Ryan $350,000, plus $20,000 in travel expenses, according to the DOJ.

The Zindashti operation is responsible for more than 20% of the drug traffic in Iran, seconds in Iran International. Its network is protected by the Iranian government, according to the Treasury Department.

The Treasury Department announced on Monday that it would sanction assets linked to Zindashti. Zindashti, despite being protected by the Iranian regime, operates under the direction of Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security.

Treasury and the DOJ did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.

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