U.S. Fuel Trader Under Investigation for Suspected Ties to Cartel Smuggling
A Houston-based petroleum trader raided last month by U.S. federal agents is under investigation in Mexico in connection with a suspected fuel smuggling scheme linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
Iran Launches BTC-Backed Insurer for Ships Crossing Contested Strait
Iran has launched a bitcoin-backed insurance service for shipping companies seeking to transit the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. Extends Sanctions Waiver for Russian Seaborne Petroleum
The Trump administration has extended a controversial waiver on sanctions targeting Russian seaborne oil and other petroleum products after letting it expire two days earlier.
Somali Piracy Is Worsening as Global Shipping Circumvents Conflict Zones
A resurgence of piracy off the coast of Somalia is compounding pressure on global shipping already strained by conflict in the Middle East, with multiple vessels hijacked in recent weeks and industry leaders warning of fresh strain on supply chains.
Chinese Firms Are Negotiating Secret Arms Sales to Iran: U.S. Officials
U.S. officials believe Chinese companies have been negotiating arms sales to Iran and plotting to route the weapons through third countries to disguise their origin.
FinCEN Warns on IRGC’s Use of Front Companies, Stablecoins, and Facilitators
The U.S. Treasury Department on Monday issued an alert urging financial institutions to step up their detection of money laundering, sanctions evasion, and digital-asset transfers tied to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
FATF Sees Progress, Gaps, and Growing Risks in Latest Singapore MER
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has removed Singapore from its enhanced follow-up list but the city-state’s beneficial-ownership safeguards, money-laundering prosecutions, and proliferation-financing controls are still falling short of the risks it faces as one of the world’s largest financial centers.
U.S., Gulf Nations Threaten Iran with U.N. Sanctions over Strait Access
The United States and its Gulf allies have circulated a draft U.N. Security Council resolution that would threaten Iran with sanctions or other measures unless it halts attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz and stops imposing “illegal tolls.”
One Common Layover Stop for Wildlife Traffickers: Bangkok
Thailand’s main international airport has become a reluctant hub in a sprawling illegal trade funneling wild animals to India, where social media “petfluencers” and exotic cafes are fueling a boom in demand for rare creatures.
Even with Stronger Western Ties, Syria Is a Big Buyer of Russian Oil
Russia has emerged as Syria’s dominant oil supplier, with shipments rising about 75 percent to roughly 60,000 barrels per day this year despite Damascus’s pivot toward the West and lingering public anger over Moscow’s military backing of ousted leader Bashar al-Assad.