VOA常速英语:U.S. Treasury Issues Special Narcotics Trafficker Designations

Colombian nationals Isaac Perez Guberek Ravinovicz, his son, Henry Guberek Grimberg, and 29 other individuals and entities located in Colombia, Panama, and Israel, are part of a money laundering network that has processed hundreds of millions of dollars in drug money, according to the United States Treasury Department. For this reason, the Treasury Department designated these 31 individuals as Special Narcotics Traffickers.

Of special interest is the fact that much of the money laundered by this network benefited previously-designated individuals such as Ayman Joumaa, who used an undetermined portion of the profits from his drug trafficking operation to support Hezbollah, designated by the Department of State as a Foreign Terrorist Organization; and Jose Evaristo Linares Castillo, who cooperated with and financially supported the "Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia," or "FARC", an international terrorist organization dedicated to the violent overthrow of the Government of Colombia.

Using the bank accounts of legitimate textile companies within Colombia to engage in money laundering, Guberek Ravinovicz and Guberek Grimberg provided a way for traffickers to transfer narcotics proceeds back to Colombia from locations all over the world.

The designation prohibits U.S. nationals from conducting financial or commercial transactions with these entities and individuals, and freezes any assets they may have within U.S. reach. “These bad actors often depend on international businesses to facilitate the illegal movement of their drug profits. Whether you are a successful businessman or a secretary, if you assist drug traffickers you will face the same justice,” said Drug Enforcement Agency Special Agent in Charge Mark Trouville.

“Money laundering is the lifeblood of the narcotics trafficking world,” said Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David S. Cohen. “Our action against this major money laundering network strikes a powerful blow at the illicit profits flows of criminals like Ayman Joumaa and Linares Castillo.”