The U.N. Security Council this week added one entry to its sanctions list. The designation targets Somalia-based Abdullahi Osman Mohamed Caddow, who was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2020 for being a senior leader of al-Shabaab, a Somalia terrorist group and al-Qaida affiliate (see 2011170043).

The Office of Foreign Assets Control issued a new Russia-related general license this week that authorizes certain transactions involving Hungary-based International Investment Bank, which was sanctioned in April for being a Russia-controlled financial institution (see 2304120039). New GL 69 authorizes certain transactions “necessary to the processing of interest or principal payments on debt securities issued” by the bank before April 12, 2023. Those transactions are authorized through 12:01 a.m. EDT on June 30 as long as the interest or principal payments are not made to people located in Russia and that any payments to a sanctioned person are made into a blocked account in accordance with the Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations. Certain other conditions apply.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control published previously issued General License 8G under its Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations. The full text of the license is available in the notice.

The Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network is seeking public comments on two information collections involving the designations of the Commercial Bank of Syria as a money laundering institution and Iran as a money laundering jurisdiction. The designations prohibit certain dealings with the bank and Iran and set certain reporting requirements. Comments are due June 30.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned two Syrian money service businesses this week, saying they help the Syrian regime, run by Bashar al-Assad, and its sanctioned allies access the international financial system. The designations target Damascus-based Al-Fadel Exchange along with the three brothers that own the company -- Fadel Ma’ruf Balwi, Mut’i Ma’ruf Balwi and Muhammad Ma’ruf Balwi -- and Al-Adham Exchange Company, also based in Damascus. The businesses have helped transfer millions of dollars to accounts at the U.S.-sanctioned Central Bank of Syria to benefit the Syrian government, OFAC said.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned 17 people and entities involved in selling equipment used to make illegal drugs, including seven entities and six people based in China and one entity and three people in Mexico. The designations target companies that supply pill press machines, die molds and other equipment used to “impress counterfeit trade markings of legitimate pharmaceuticals onto illicitly produced pills,” including China-based Youli Technology Development Co. and Yason General Machinery along with Mexico-based Mexpacking Solutions. The agency also sanctioned the owners and employees of those companies and others.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control published four previously issued general licenses under its Cyber-Related, Non-Proliferation, and Hostages and Wrongfully Detained U.S. Nationals sanctions programs. The full text of each license is available in the notice.

The Biden administration should continue to designate members of Russia’s Wagner Group, Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, said last week, adding that Russia's President Vladimir Putin is using the military company as a “weapon of malign influence.” McCaul on May 25 called for “the expanded use of sanctions to target Wagner and its enablers throughout Africa, in Ukraine and around the globe.” The Treasury Department last week sanctioned a senior Mali-based Wagner Group official (see 2305250045).

The Office of Foreign Assets Control on May 25 removed more than 20 entries from its Specially Designated Nationals List. The entries were originally added for counter-narcotics sanctions reasons and include people and companies located in Colombia and Venezuela. OFAC didn’t provide more information.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned Ivan Aleksandrovich Maslov, a Mali-based official with the sanctioned Russian private military company Wagner Group. Maslov purportedly leads the Wagner Group’s mercenary units in Mali, working as part of an organization that has committed “widespread human rights abuses” and may be trying to evade sanctions on imports of military equipment for use against Ukraine, the Treasury Department said.