The US Justice Department has begun civil forfeiture proceedings against a Chinese-registered Gulfstream G550, seeking to retain the aircraft after its alleged unauthorised trip to Iran. The 2012 jet, registered to Deer Jet (Beijing) Co., Ltd. as B-8259, was seized in Anchorage, Alaska, on 24 May 2026. The complaint was filed on 28 October in the US District Court for the Central District of California; the aircraft is now in FBI custody in Virginia.
Prosecutors allege the G550 flew from Beijing to Tehran on 13 December 2024 and returned to Beijing six days later. They contend that the re-export of the US-built aircraft to Iran required a licence from the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security, which was not issued. The complaint also alleges that the aircraft’s stay exceeded the 72-hour limit under a Treasury Department general licence, and that no approval for a longer stay was granted.
The filing initiates a forfeiture case; it does not represent a final court ruling. The government is seeking forfeiture under US law governing violations of export controls, and interested parties may contest the claim. If the court grants the request, the aircraft could be sold or retained for official use. The complaint does not specify which disposition the government would pursue.