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Last week's major developments in sanctions - October 2nd to October 6th, 2023

Monday, October 2

  • This quiet week started with the imposition of asset-freezing sanctions on two individuals by the French government, under its autonomous counter-terrorism sanctions regime. (Here)

Tuesday, October 3

  • OFAC imposed asset-freezing sanctions on 14 individuals and 14 entities involved with the international proliferation of illicit drugs, including a China-based network responsible for the manufacturing and distribution of ton quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and MDMA precursors under its counter-narcotics sanctions program. The designation package included several digital currency addresses as identifying information. (Here, the Department of the Treasury's press release, and Relevant remarks by Deputy Secretary Adeyemo)

  • The United States Department of Justice announced two sanctions-related actions:

    1. A resident of California was charged with and pleaded guilty to a violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act yesterday in the Northern District of California. The defendant, was a telecommunication consultant who had obtained a specific license to engage in certain Iran-related activities, however, he knowingly exceeded what was authorized. (Press release)

    2. A resident of Orlando, who was the president of Metalhouse LLC, pleaded guilty to engaging in a conspiracy to commit money laundering to promote violations of U.S. sanctions by conducting transactions to acquire over $150 million in metal products from companies owned by Sergey Kurchenko, a sanctioned oligarch. (Press release)

Wednesday, October 4

  • There was no major sanctions-related development on this day.

Thursday, October 5

Friday, October 6

  • OFSI issued General License INT/2023/3626884 which authorized payments to Companies House in the UK by those designated under the UK's autonomous sanctions. (Here)

  • BIS added 49 entities, mostly located in China, entities to the Entity List for providing support to Russia’s military and/or defense industrial base. (Here)

Recommendation of the Week

  • A while ago, the UN Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on human rights announced today the launch of the Sanctions Research Platform. The platform is a comprehensive online repository of resources and research related to the issue of unilateral sanctions and their impact on human rights. You can find the platform here.

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