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U.S. imposes sanctions on individuals, company for ties with Colombian drug cartel

Xinhua, June 25, 2015 Adjust font size:

The United States on Wednesday slapped sanctions on four Colombian nationals aligned with the Colombian criminal group La Oficina de Envigado (La Oficina), and one related company for their role in international narcotics trafficking.

In a statement, the Department of Treasury said the three targeted individuals are long-time drug traffickers engaging in sponsoring the illicit activities of La Oficina and another individual assists in laundering the group's illegal assets.

Semillanos S.A., an agricultural company based in Colombia, is also on the sanction list, as it is owned or controlled by one of the four individuals.

"La Oficina and Clan Usuga rely on powerful narcotics traffickers like those targeted today, who provide funding in exchange for protection for their narcotic trafficking and other criminal activities," said John. E. Smith, acting director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control, in a statement.

"We have found that one of the most effective ways to weaken these influential criminal groups is by isolating their supporters from the U.S. economy," Smith added.

All assets of those designated that are based in the U.S. or are in control of U.S. persons are frozen, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them, said the Treasury.

The Treasury blacklisted La Oficina de Envigado as a specially designated narcotics trafficker in June 2014, and said it also involved in illicit activities like money laundering, extortion, and murder for hire.

The agency has targeted more than 1,700 individuals and entities worldwide for their involvement in drug trafficking since June 2000. Endite