In China, the UAE, and other countries.. the US Treasury imposes sanctions on a financial network linked to the Houthi militias.

On Thursday, the United States imposed sanctions on two individuals and five entities linked to the Houthi militias in Yemen, in addition to classifying five ships as prohibited property.

A statement issued by the US State Department spokesman indicated that these measures aim to disrupt the network run by Saeed Al-Jamal, who finances the Houthis and their destructive activities in the region.

The statement explained that these targets form part of a multi-faceted network of illicit operations, ranging from clients and facilitators to insurance providers, ships and ship management companies.

Text of the US Treasury Department's decision:

The US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has respectively designated and designated dozens of people and vessels as prohibited property, who have played a critical role in financing the Houthis' destabilizing regional activities as part of the Saeed Al-Jamal network.

Today's action includes a Malaysian national residing in Indonesia, a Singaporean national, Mohamed Raslan bin Ahmed, and a Chinese national residing in the People's Republic of China, Zhuang Liang, who facilitated the illicit shipments and engaged in money laundering for the network.

The Saeed Al-Jamal network continues to provide tens of millions of dollars in revenue to the Houthis in Yemen through its shipments of Iranian goods, including oil, a source of funding that supports ongoing Houthi attacks against commercial shipping in the Red Sea. This action targets numerous aspects of this illicit network across the spectrum of its operations, from clients and brokers to insurance providers, ships and ship management companies.

“The action we took today underscores our focus on disrupting the Houthis’ sprawling network of financial facilitators, shell companies, and vessels, which enables the primary source of funding for the group’s destabilizing activities,” said Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson.

He added: "Treasury will continue to disrupt actors that are critical to this network's operations, as well as the Houthis' ability to further destabilize the region and threaten international trade."

Today's action was taken under Counterterrorism Executive Order 13224, as amended. OFAC designated Saeed El-Jamal under Executive Order 13224, as amended, dated June 10, 2021, for assisting, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support, goods, or services to or in support of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force ( IRGC-QF ). .

The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force was designated under Executive Order 13224 on October 25, 2007, for providing support to multiple terrorist groups. The US State Department's designation of Ansar Allah (known as the Houthis) as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist Group, pursuant to Executive Order 13224, as amended, became effective on February 16, 2024.

The most important international bodies that facilitate illicit financing and shipping operations

Mohamed Ruslan Bin Ahmad (Royston), a Malaysian and Singaporean, also known as Royston Wu Chirin or Mohamed Ruslan Royston, is an Indonesia-based illicit freight broker who provides ship management and brokerage services to the Saeed El Jamal network. Royston facilitated Saeed El Gamal Network's shipments to Malaysia. Royston also worked as a broker on illicit trade ships between Russia and Venezuela.

PRC-based businessman Zhuang Liang (Zhuang) engaged in money laundering and other financing-related schemes for the Saeed El-Jamal network, including working with Saeed El-Jamal and the IRGC-QF to further Saeed El-Jamal's illicit business operations.

Zhuang also helped Saeed Al-Jamal's business partner and Houthi affiliate Abdi Nasser Ali Mahmoud (Mahmoud) circumvent sanctions by illicitly granting him access to the international financial system.

OFAC included Mahmoud on the same list as Saeed El Gamal for providing or supporting material assistance, sponsorship, financial, material, or technological support, goods, or services to Saeed El Gamal.

Today, OFAC is updating Mohamud's entry on the Specially Designated Blocked and Blocked Persons List (SPPL) to reflect his use of a Somali diplomatic passport, D00015633 , to travel internationally. Saeed El-Gamal also traveled under the alias Ahmed Saeedi on Iranian-issued passports U63475649 and E49297849 , both of which are also added to the list of banned and specially designated persons today.

Chuang and Royston are being designated under Executive Order 13224, as amended, for materially assisting, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support, goods, or services to or in support of Saeed El Gamal.

Saeed El Gamal's network relies on numerous innocuous companies in multiple jurisdictions to illicitly generate tens of millions of dollars in revenue. Seychelles-registered Ascent General Insurance Company , based in Thailand and Singapore, provided insurance for vessels identified as embargoed property of those sanctioned for providing support to Saeed El Gamal.

Fornacis Energy Trading Co. LLC , based in the United Arab Emirates, purchased and shipped Iranian shipments worth tens of millions of dollars for the Saeed Al-Jamal network.

Ascent General Insurance Company and Fornacis Energy Trading Co. LLC pursuant to Executive Order No. 13224, as amended, to materially assist, sponsor, or otherwise provide financial, material, or technological support, goods, or services to or in support of Saeed El Gamal.

Barco Ship Management Inc (Barco ) , registered in the Marshall Islands and headquartered in the United Arab Emirates, is the ship manager and commercial manager of several vessels, including the Panama-flagged vessel WANJI ( IMO: 9215103), which was used by Saeed Al-Jamal's network to transport illicit shipments to the United Arab Emirates worth tens of millions of dollars.

Barco also manages and operates the Panama-flagged vessel OCEANIC II ( IMO: 9275995 ) and the Panama-flagged vessel TIREX ( IMO: 9203772 ). Like Barco , Marshall Islands-registered Sea Knot Shipping Inc used the vessel MIROVA DYNAMIC (IMO: 9237618 ) to transport illicit cargo worth tens of millions of dollars for Saeed El Gamal.

Barco and Sea Note Shipping LLC are being designated pursuant to Executive Order 13224, as amended, for providing material assistance, sponsorship, or providing financial, material, or technological support, goods, or services to or supporting Saeed El Gamal.

The ships WANJI , OCEANIC II and TIREX have been identified as blocked properties in which Barco has a stake. The vessel MIROVA DYNAMIC has been identified as blocked property in which Sea Knot Shipping Inc has an interest.

Alpha Shine Marine Services LLC, based in the United Arab Emirates, is the manager of the Panamanian-flagged vessel Casper ( IMO: 9293143 ), which was used by the Saeed El Gamal network to facilitate illicit trade worth millions of dollars under forged shipping documents. .

Alpha Shine Marine Services LLC is being designated under Executive Order 13224, as amended, for providing material assistance, sponsorship, or providing financial, material, or technological support, goods, or services to or supporting Saeed El Gamal. KASPER is selectedAs foreclosed property in which Alpha Shine Marine Services LLC has an interest.

Effects of sanctions

As a result of today's action, all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC . In addition, any entities owned directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more of the blocked persons are blocked.

Unless authorized under a general or specific license issued by OFAC , or exempt, OFAC regulations All transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States involving any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise prohibited persons are generally prohibited.

In addition, financial institutions and other persons who engage in certain transactions or activities with sanctioned entities and individuals may be subject to sanctions or be subject to enforcement actions. Prohibitions include making any contribution or provision of money, goods or services by or for the benefit of any named person, or receiving any contribution or provision of money, goods or services from any such person.

The strength and fairness of OFAC's sanctions stem not only from OFAC's ability to designate and add persons to the Designated Persons List, but also from its willingness to remove persons from the Designated Persons List consistent with the law.