Australia this week sanctioned 60 ocean vessels with ties to Russia's shadow fleet, the group of ships helping the country evade sanctions on transported oil and other goods. The designations mark the first time Australia has sanctioned Russian shadow fleet ships, the country's Office of the Minister for Foreign Affairs said, adding that the "sanctions reinforce Australia’s consistent commitment to ensuring Russia, and those enabling its illegal invasion of Ukraine, face consequences." The ministry said the ships use "deceptive practices" to hide their cargo, "including flag-hopping, disabling tracking systems, and operating with inadequate insurance."
The U.K. issued a threat assessment June 18 for art market participants and high-value dealers to address Russian sanctions violation risks in the art industry. The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation said it's "highly likely that high value goods" owned by sanctioned parties in the U.K. haven't been reported to OFSI, and it's "likely" that Russian sanctioned parties and their enablers have dealt with high-value goods in the U.K. in "breach of asset freeze prohibitions."
Canada this week announced a host of new sanctions against Russia, designating 77 people, 39 entities and 201 vessels and imposing new export and import restrictions on industrial goods, dual-use technologies and more.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned five Mexico-based leaders of Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion, which the agency said is a "brutally violent" cartel that helps traffic fentanyl and other illegal drugs into the U.S. The designations target CJNG’s leader, Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, and senior officials Julio Alberto Castillo Rodriguez, Gonzalo Mendoza Gaytan, Audias Flores Silva and Ricardo Ruiz Velasco. Each of the cartel members has been previously designated by OFAC except for Ruiz, who's the prime suspect in the recent murder of Mexican influencer Valeria Marquez during a live TikTok broadcast.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week renewed a Russia-related general license that authorizes certain transactions related to crude oil originating from the Sakhalin-2 project, an oil and gas development business based in Russia, as long as the Sakhalin-2 byproduct is solely for importation into Japan. General License 55D, which replaces 55C (see 2411210020), authorizes those transactions through Dec. 19. The license was scheduled to expire June 28.
The Council of the European Union on June 16 renewed the sanctions on Russia imposed in response to Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, until June 23, 2026. The restrictions were initially imposed in 2014 and include a ban on the import of products originating from Crimea or Sevastopol and infrastructural or financial investments and tourism services from these areas. In addition, EU parties can't export certain goods to Crimean companies for use in Crimea in the transport, telecommunications and energy sectors or for the exploration and production of oil, gas and mineral resources.
The U.K. on June 17 added four people, six entities and 20 shadow fleet ships to its Russia sanctions regime.
Australia's Sanctions Office this month issued new and updated "guidance notes" about various sanctions laws, including information about compliance obligations for Australian people and entities. The new documents cover sanctions involving advanced technologies, the financial sector, employment, the ocean shipping industry, Russia-related restrictions, and more.
The U.K.'s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation last week removed Hajjaj Bin Fahd Al Ajmi from its ISIL (Da’esh) and al-Qaida sanctions list. He was sanctioned for his ties to Al-Nusrah Front for the People of the Levant, a group linked to terrorism. The U.N. Security Council also delisted Ajmi (see 2506100014).
The U.K. on June 13 removed one entry from its Russia sanctions regime. The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation delisted Aleksey Leonidovich Fisun, a member of the Supervisory Board Sovcombank, from the Russia restrictions.