The Office of Foreign Assets Control is asking for comments by Jan. 6 on the effectiveness of its licensing procedures for the export of agricultural commodities, medicine, and medical devices to Sudan and Iran (here). The comments will assist OFAC as it compiles its biennial report to Congress for the time period Oct. 1, 2012 to Sept. 30, 2014, it said.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control updated its list (here) of medical supplies that are approved for export or reexport to Iran. The list is due for publication in the Federal Register on Dec. 1, but was effective Nov. 2. The items are defined as medical supplies under the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations. Approved items fall under the following categories: General Medical Equipment and Supplies, Anaesthesiology, Apparel, Cardiology, Dental equipment and supplies, Gynecology & Urology, Inherited Preventative Care, Laboratory, Nephrology, Neurology, Obstetrics and Maternity Care, Ophthalmology and Optometry, Otology and Neurotology, Physical and Occupational Therapy, Radiology, Sterilization, and Surgery.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control added to its Specially Designated Nationals list due to Kingpin Act violations on Nov. 24, it said (here). It also added individuals and entities linked to the Syrian conflict to the SDN List on Nov. 25 (here).

The Office of Foreign Assets Control recently removed several entities and individuals previously sanctioned for counter-terrorism and Cuban embargo reasons from the Specially Designated Nationals list. The agency announced on Nov. 17 (here) the removal of Nasir Al-Wahisi, a Yemeni national, from the SDN list. A subsequent notice on Nov. 19 (here) said OFAC is removing individuals and entities from Colombia, Honduras, Italy, Spain, Panama, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned two individuals and companies allegedly linked to Los Urabenos, a well-known Colombian drug trafficking and criminal organization, the agency said in a release (here). OFAC added the group to OFAC’s Specially Designated Nationals list in 2013 (see 13060308). The following Colombian individuals and companies are now listed on the SDN List:

The Office of Foreign Assets Control added the following individuals and entities to the Specially Designated Nationals list on Nov. 5 (here):

The Office of Foreign Assets Control listed senior Taliban leader, Torek Agha, as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist on Oct. 20 (here). OFAC also added Agha to the Specially Designated Nationals list (here). Agha is Pakistani and operates largely in Afghanistan, the agency said. The designation included prohibitions against knowingly providing, attempting or conspiring to provide material support or resources or engaging in transactions with this entity. The designations also freeze all property and interests of the entity in the U.S. or in the control of U.S. citizens

The Treasury Department declined to name any significant U.S. trade partner a currency manipulator in its semi-annual report to Congress on International Economic and Exchange Rate Policies. The report focuses on economic, financial and exchange rate developments and trends through the end of September, Treasury said in a statement (here). Chinese changes to the renminbi (RMB) exchange rate in August sparked an outcry on Capitol Hill as lawmakers said the Chinese action amounts to manipulation (see 1509150055).

U.S. individuals and companies are now barred from dealing with Chinese-based Kaikai Technology after the Office of Foreign Assets Control on Oct. 15 put the company and owner Bo Peng, a Chinese national, on the Specially Designated Nationals list under authorities provided by the Kingpin Act, the agency said (here). OFAC labeled Kaikai a “purported pharmaceutical and chemical products company” that has exported large amounts of synthetic drugs, including stimulants and marijuana. A grand jury in a Florida district court indicted Peng on charges of “importing and conspiring to import ethylone and the Schedule I controlled substance methylone,” said OFAC. The OFAC action freezes all Kaikai and Peng assets in the U.S.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control dropped ten Colombian individuals from its Specially Designated Nationals list on Oct. 15 (here). OFAC originally placed those individuals on the list over narcotics allegations. The agency has steadily dropped Colombian individuals and entities from the SDN list over recent months, while continuing to add some individuals and entities (see 1506250001 and 1506080019).