OFAC Sanctions People, Entities With Ties to Drug Trafficking
The Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned 12 people and eight entities this week for their involvement in illegal drug trade, including people in Europe, the Asia Pacific and Latin America.
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OFAC designated several people based in Lithuania, including Rokas Karpavicius and Virginijus Labutis, who it said trafficked cocaine and methamphetamine and who have helped move “significant shipments” of drugs from Central and South America to Europe, Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and the U.S. OFAC also sanctioned Lithuanian national Saulius Staskus for working with both Labutis and Karpavicius, including by helping them coordinate ships in South America to move the cocaine to Europe and Australia.
The agency also sanctioned Switzerland-based holding company Karpis AG and Poland-based company Lake Forest SP Z O for being majority owned by Karpavicius, along with Jurga Karpe, a Lithuanian national who serves on the board of directors of Karpis AG. OFAC also sanctioned Switzerland-based Dragon Secure GmbH, also owned by Karpavicius, and Arnas Grinevicius, a Lithuanian national and the company’s leader. Grinevicius owns Lithuania-based MB Ptera, is the director of UAB Flavour Labs and is the legal representative of Colombia-based Atiya S A S, three companies also designated by OFAC.
Australian national David Jonathan Thackray and New Zealand national Ho Kai Leung are “key associates” of Karpavicius, OFAC said, and are involved in drug trafficking. Leung owns New Zealand-based JT Trading Limited and directs New Zealand-based TNK Trading Limited.
OFAC also sanctioned Allende Perilla Sandoval, a Colombia-based drug trafficker who the agency said works closely with the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico. Others sanctioned include alleged money launderer and Sandoval’s associate Camilo Esteban Betancourt Rosero; along with Orozman Orlando Osten Blanco, Elkin Casarrubia Posada and Luis Perez Castaneda, members of Colombia’s Clan del Golfo, one of the country’s largest drug trafficking groups.