WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The U.S. Government has imposed sanctions targeting a number of companies, individuals and Vessels that have engaged in the illicit transport of oil and other commodities, including for the network of Houthi financial facilitator Said al-Jamal.
The Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, targets maritime shipping and financial facilitators, several vessel managers and owners, and a company involved in forging shipping documents.
Houthi financier Said al-Jamal relies on a network of foreign shipping firms to sell and transport commodities to China, Syria, and other jurisdictions. UAE- and Oman-based Shark International Shipping L.L.C, under the leadership of its managing director John Britto Aruldhas, has worked with the Said al-Jamal network to furnish forged shipping documents for vessels shipping commodities on behalf of the Houthis, OFAC said.
India-based Rayyan Shipping Private Limited has served as the manager and technical operator of the sanctioned Guyana-flagged vessel OLYMPICS, which continues to carry cargo for the Said al-Jamal network. Rayyan Shipping and the OLYMPICS' captain Vivek Ashok Pandey were sanctioned.
Additionally, OFAC is designating Jamal's Yemen-based nephew Abdallah Najib Ahmad al-Jamal, who manages money laundering operations for the network.
OFAC also sanctioned Hong Kong-based Lainey Shipping Limited, the owner of the Panama-flagged JANET, and Panama-based Louis Marine Shipholding Enterprises S.A., the owner of the Panama-flagged BELLA 1, for their role in carrying sanctioned cargo on behalf of Hizballah-owned Concepto Screen SAL Off-Shore to Southeast Asia.
OFAC is also designating Sandeep Singh Choudhary, the master of the vessel LA PEARL, the Department of the Treasury said in a press release.
'The Houthis continue to leverage an expansive support network to facilitate their illicit activities, including hiding the origin of cargo, forging shipping documents, and providing services to sanctioned vessels,' said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson. 'As we demonstrated with our military strikes last week, the United States government is committed to disrupting and degrading the Houthis' ability to engage in attacks against commercial shipping and naval vessels, as well as target those who seek to facilitate these activities.'
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