Treasury Targets Major Money Laundering Network Linked to [Hezbollah] Drug Trafficker

Press Release (US government) ^ | June, 2012

[Milagros]

Treasury Targets Major Money Laundering Network Linked to Drug Trafficker Ayman Joumaa and a Key Hizballah Supporter in South America 6/27/2012

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury today designated four individuals and three entities involved in laundering the proceeds of narcotics trafficking for drug kingpin Ayman Joumaa. Treasury also designated a Colombia-based individual under its terrorism authority, Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, for directing Hizballah’s fundraising activities in the Americas. This individual was previously designated under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act) for his role in narcotics-related money laundering. Today’s designations further expose Ayman Joumaa’s network as a major narcotics and money laundering enterprise that has reach throughout the Americas and the Middle East with links to Hizballah. As with the February 2011 action against Lebanese Canadian Bank, these actions again highlight Hizballah’s links to major South American narcotics money laundering organizations...

Ali Mohamad Saleh

Ali Mohamad Saleh, a Lebanese Colombian national, is also being designated today pursuant to E.O. 13224 as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist for acting for or on behalf of and providing financial, material, or technological support to Hizballah. Saleh is a key Hizballah facilitator who has directed and coordinated Hizballah activity in Colombia. He is a former Hizballah fighter with knowledge of Hizballah operations plans due to his contact with Hizballah authorities in Lebanon. As of July 2010, Saleh was a contact of Hizballah’s Foreign Relations Department and has maintained communication with suspected Hizballah operatives in Venezuela, Germany, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia. Saleh was the acting leader of a Hizballah support cell in Maicao, Colombia that raised funds for transfer to Hizballah. In this role, Saleh solicited donations for Hizballah from business owners and residents. Saleh coordinated the transfer of checks and U.S. dollars by courier from Maicao via Venezuela to Hizballah in Lebanon. He was previously designated under the Kingpin Act on December 29, 2011, for his role as a Maicao based money launderer for the Cheaitelly/El Khansa criminal organization, which is linked to the Joumaa network. Saleh is the brother of Joumaa-network associate Kassem Mohamad Saleh, who was also named today under the Kingpin Act for his role in supporting Abbas Hussein Harb. ---

See more here at http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/tg1624.aspx

[Milagros]

I realize it is from June. Yet, it is very relative with Chavez's resuming his corrupted leadership.

[GeronL]

Not another Bailout! Ah, Jeez!

[JustSayNoToNannies]

Thanks, War On Drugs, for hyperinflating drug profits and channeling them into terrorist and criminal hands.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Milagros.