The U.K.'s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation will move to a single list for all sanctions designations starting Jan. 28, the agency announced this week.
The U.S. and the U.K. this week sanctioned a range of people and entities that they said are involved in criminal networks that carry out online investment scams and launder stolen funds. The designations target networks in Southeast Asia, including the Cambodia-based Prince Group Transnational Criminal Organization, which is led by Cambodian national Chen Zhi and operates a “transnational criminal empire” through online scams targeting Americans and others.
China is imposing new port fees on U.S. ships and placing sanctions on five U.S. subsidiaries of South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Marine Corporation in response to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative’s Section 301 investigation of China’s maritime, logistics and shipbuilding sectors (see 2506100023).
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week removed from the Specially Designated Nationals List a Turkey-based entity that had originally been targeted for posing a Russia-related secondary sanctions risk. The agency deleted three aliases for the entity known as North Star Shipyard, Kuzey Star Shipyard Denizcilik Sanayi ve Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, and Kuzey Star Shipyard Maritime Industry and Trade Inc. OFAC didn't provide more information.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned six people and two entities that it said are helping Iran evade U.S. sanctions and smuggle weapons or that have ties to corruption in Iraq.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned more than 50 people, entities and ships for helping move and sell Iranian oil and liquefied petroleum gas, earning the Iranian government "billions of dollars" for its support of terrorism, the agency said. The designations targeted nearly two dozen shadow fleet vessels and their owners, a China-based crude oil terminal, a Chinese refinery and others.
The U.N. Security Council and the U.K. this week amended listings under their sanctions regimes.
The Latvian State Security Service (VDD) has asked to begin a criminal prosecution of two Latvian nationals for providing prohibited project management services to Russian companies, violating European Union sanctions, it announced Oct. 1.
Japan is reimposing certain sanctions against Iran following the U.N.'s move last month to reimpose Iranian restrictions that were paused after the 2015 nuclear deal (see 2510010018 and 2508280033), according to an unofficial translation of a notice from Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. The designations target 78 entities and 43 people for their involvement in "Iran's proliferation-sensitive nuclear activities and the development of nuclear weapons delivery means," Japan said. The measures also include certain investment restrictions, import bans and prohibitions on fund transfers.
Turkey recently reimposed certain sanctions against Iran following the U.N.'s move last month to reimpose Iranian restrictions that were paused after the 2015 nuclear deal (see 2510010018 and 2508280033). Turkey's designations apply to nearly 40 people and entities, according to an unofficial translation.