U.S. issues money-laundering sanctions in Venezuela and Colombia; links to Hezbollah

The U.S. Department of Treasury announced sanctions against five individuals for laundering money in Venezuela and Colombia on behalf of a Lebanese drug-trafficking organization. One of the suspects is believed to be raising money for Hezbollah, an Islamic terrorist group. Ali Mohamed Saleh, who has dual Colombian-Lebanese citizenship, is accused of coordinating Hezbollah’s activities in Colombia, El Mundo reports. He is thought to have sent money to the group from Colombia through Venezuela. According to the sanctions, the United States can seize assets and businesses belonging to these individuals and file charges against any individual or company working with them. The head of the ring, Ayman Juma, already has a U.S. sanction issued in 2011 for money laundering and cocaine trafficking. Read Article