OFAC Sanctions Network Moving Oil for Hezbollah, Updates Maritime Industry Guidance
The U.S. this week sanctioned three people, five companies and two vessels involved in smuggling oil and liquified petroleum gas (LPG) for Hezbollah, and it updated a sanctions advisory for the maritime energy shipping industry to highlight risks from shipments to Syria.
The designations target Hezbollah official Muhammad Ibrahim Habib al-Sayyid and Lebanese businessmen Ali Nayef Zgheib and Boutros Georges Obeid. OFAC said the two have worked on Hezbollah commercial business deals, including ones that move energy to generate revenue for the group. OFAC also designated companies they own or that have ties to Hezbollah: Heavy Oil Distribution Company S.A.L., Heavy Oil Distribution Company SAL Offshore, Heavy Industrial Fuels SAL HIF, O.H.G. Holding SAL and European Lebanese International Trade S.A.R.L.
The agency said European Lebanese International Trade S.A.R.L. is “responsible” for dozens of LPG shipments made by the tankers Alpha Gas and Marina.
OFAC also issued an update to a 2019 maritime petroleum shipping advisory that warned about deceptive shipping practices by Syria. The advisory includes updated deceptive shipping practices and risk mitigation measures, and an updated annex of sanctioned vessels that have been involved in fuel shipments to Syria.