Feed: Lebanese drug gang operates in lawless nation - AggScore: 13.0

Lebanese drug gang operates in lawless nation

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caption id alignalignleft width210 captionWhile events in Egypt overshadow the crisis in Lebanon, drug traffickers are taking advantage of the lack of a central government in Lebanon. Photo Debbie Schlussel img srchttpcdn2b.examiner.comsitesdefaultfilesstyleslargehashab0cab0ce90dadcaf6879788a5b719da1a69.jpg alt width210 height152 captionThe recent collapse of Lebanons government after 11 ministers from the terrorist groupHezbollah and its allies resigned. The lack of a functioninggovernmenthas allowed a dangerous narcotics trafficker to operate with almost total impunity.On Thursday, an ongoingU.S. Drug Enforcement Administrationinvestigation led to the U.S. Department of the Treasurys designation ofLebanese narcotics trafficker Ayman Joumaa as well as nine individuals and 19 entities connected to his drug trafficking and money laundering organization as Specially Designated Narcotics Traffickers SDNTs, a result ofthe Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act, also known as the Kingpin Act.Ayman Joumaa has coordinated the transportation, distribution, and sale of multiton shipments of cocaine from South America and has laundered the proceeds from the sale of cocaine in Europe and the Middle East, according to investigations led by the DEA.Operating in Lebanon, West Africa, Panama and Colombia, Joumaa and his organization launder proceeds from their illicit activities as much as 200 million per month through various channels, including bulk cash smuggling operations and Lebanese exchange houses.As a result of todays designations, U.S. persons are prohibited from conducting financial or commercial transactions with these individuals and entities and any assets the designees may have under U.S. jurisdiction are frozen.Ayman Joumaa and his organization can no longer hide behind front companies with their drug trafficking profits, said DEA Administrator Michele M. Leonhart. These are not legitimate businesses. These are illegal enterprises that fuel the drug trade and its violence and corruption. As we continue to follow the money trail, we starve these traffickers of their assets and eventually put their criminal networks out of business.Three Lebanonbased money exchanges used by Ayman Joumaa and his organization to launder illicit proceeds were also designated today the Hassan Ayash Exchange Company, the Ellissa Exchange Company, and New Line Exchange Trust Co.U.S. drug enforcement also targeted Hassan Ayash, Hassan Mahmoud Ayache, Jamal Mohamad Kharoubi, Ali Mohammed Kharroubi, Ismael Mohammed Youssef, and Ziad Mohamad Youssef for their roles in these money exchanges. Ali Mohammed Kharroubi owns Ellissa Holding, which was designated today. Ellissa Holding controls nine companies in Lebanon, Benin and the Democratic Republicof Congo, including Ellissa Group SA, the subsidiary of Ellissa Holding in Benin involved in the sale of used cars in Africa.Joumaas brothers Akram Saied Joumaa, Anwar Saied Joumaa and Mohamad Said Joumma were designated for their involvement in the drug trafficking or money laundering activities of the Joumaa organization. Akram Saied Joumaa is the CEO and general manager of Caesars Park Hotel, also designated today, which the organization uses as a location to broker drug trafficking and money laundering activities.Lebanonbased company Phenicia Shipping Offshore SARL, Panamabased companies Goldi Electronics S.A. and Zona Libre International Market S.A., and Colombiabased companies Almacen Junior, Almacen Junior No. 2 and Commercial Planeta were all designated today for being owned or controlled by members of the Ayman Joumaa organization.