OFAC Sanctions People, Companies Moving Weapons, Goods for Houthis

The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned several people and entities, along with one vessel, for helping to procure weapons for the Iran-backed Houthis or for shipping commodities to fund the Yemen-based group. The designations target procurement officers and companies in China along with others in Oman, Cameroon and the United Arab Emirates.

OFAC sanctioned China-based Ali Abd-al-Wahhab Muhammad al-Wazir and the Chinese company Guangzhou Tasneem Trading Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based Tasneem Trading Co. Ltd., for shipping materials to the Houthis that allow them to make “advanced conventional weapons.” The agency also designated Oman-based International Smart Digital Interface Limited Liability Co. and its “operator,” Muaadh Ahmed Mohammed al-Haifi, for buying and arranging shipments of cruise missile components, manufacturing equipment and other dual-use items into Yemen.

China-based Ningbo Beilun Saige Machine Co., Ltd. helps to procure materials used to make unmanned drones, and Dongguan Yuze Machining Tools Company Limited has sourced “tens of thousands of dollars’ worth” of weapons production equipment, OFAC said.

The Cameroon-flagged Otaria, managed by UAE-based Stellar Wave Marine LLC and captained by Vyacheslav Salyga, loaded commodities tied to Houthi financier Sa’id al-Jamal (see 2312280012, 2401120015 and 2403260016) in late May “to be discharged in Singapore,” OFAC said. The agency said the ship is carrying tens of millions of dollars worth of cargo.