US, UK Issue Coordinated Syria Sanctions

The U.S. and the U.K. this week announced sanctions against people and entities in Syria and Lebanon supporting the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria and the production and export of Captagon, a “dangerous amphetamine,” the Office of Foreign Assets Control said.

OFAC and the U.K.’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation designated Imad Abu Zureik, leader of a Syrian Military Intelligence-affiliated militia; Samer Kamal al-Assad, who oversees “key” Captagon production facilities; Hassan Muhammad Daqqou, who is linked to Syrian drug trafficking operations; Wassim Badi al-Assad, a military official; and Noah Zaitar, a Lebanese national who also is an arms dealer and drug smuggler.

OFAC also sanctioned Syrian businessman Khalid Qaddour and trade companies Hassan Daqqou Trading and Al-Israa Establishment for Import and Export. The U.K. also sanctioned Syrian militia member Mustafa Qassem al Masalmeh and several people involved in amphetamines production and trade, including Taher Abdul Kareem al-Kayali, Raji Falhout, Abdellatif Hamid, Amer Taysir Khiti and Mohammed Assef Issa Shalish.