U.S. sanctions 11 individuals, entities for supporting Syrian ‘regime’
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury imposed on Tuesday sanctions on 11 individuals and entities for their involvement in supporting the Syrian “regime”.
These sanctions are a result of their role in facilitating illegal financial transfers and engaging in the trafficking of illicit drugs, as well as extracting and exporting Syrian commodities.
Several persons sanctioned are also being designated pursuant to the Caesar Syrian Civilian Protection Act of 2019 (“Caesar Act”), which includes secondary sanctions for anyone found to knowingly provide significant support to the Syrian government, according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
The sanctioned individuals and entities are Taher al-Kayali, a Syrian national who owns and operates Syria-based Neptunus LLC, a company al-Kayali has used to purchase vessels that were then used to smuggle Captagon and hashish, both well-known funding sources for the Syrian regime, the source added.
Mahmoud Abulilah al-Dj also was sanctioned, as he was responsible for leading the operations behind multiple Captagon shipments.
In addition, al-Dj’s two campanies – al-Ta’ir Company to receive cargo tied to Captagon shipments and FreeBird Travel and Tourism company— after he was convicted for drug smuggling in Libya.
Additionally, Syria-based Maya Exchange Company, alongside previously sanctioned Syrian exchanges al-Fadel Exchange and al-Adham Exchange, that facilitated millions of dollars of illicit transactions, foreign currency transfers, and sanctions evasion schemes for the benefit of the Syrian government.
Aleksey Makarov, the Vice President of sanctioned Russian Financial Corporation Bank, and Muhammad Ali Al-Minala who serves as the Head of the Foreign Operations and Communications Department within the Banking Operations Directorate at the Central Bank of Syria (CBoS) and has collaborated with Makarov on additional foreign currency transfers and sanctions evasion schemes on multiple occasions, ultimately for the benefit of CBoS..
Limited Liability Company “STG Logistic” won and signed a 50-year contract with the Syrian government, granting it rights to 70 percent of sales revenue from Syrian mines near Palmyra, central Syria.
United Arab Emirates- and Switzerland-based Grains Middle East Trading DWC-LLC (Grains Middle East Trading) has served as an intermediary for STG Logistic in many shipments of Syrian commodities to multiple overseas buyers, each shipment worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Yafi David, the chief executive officer of Grains Middle East Trading, also was sanctioned.
By Emma Jamal