The US sanctions a Vancouver company for alleged cooperation with Hezbollah
A Vancouver company has been sanctioned by the United States government for allegedly working with a $100-million network accused of financing Iran-backed Hezbollah.
Seven Seas for International Trading and Logistics has been added to the US sanctions list for travel targeting 16 individuals and entities in the Middle East and Canada.
The fines accuse the founder and CEO of the BC company Raoof Fadel, who is based in Qatar and affiliated with “Hezbollah’s financial team.”
Company records obtained by Global News show that the authorized Canadian company was registered in BC in 2022 and is still operating as 1380892 BC LTD.
Its directors are listed as Fadel, along with Mohamad Wehbe and Ahmed Wehbe, all described in records as residents of Qatar.
In addition to sanctioning their BC company, the US Treasury also imposed sanctions on Fadel and Mohamad Wehbe, both citizens of Lebanon.
They could not be reached for comment.
The company’s corporate registration was completed by a Winnipeg consulting firm, while its registered address is a Vancouver law firm, records show.
Neither responded to requests for comment by deadline.
The company is not licensed in Canada. Neither BC nor the federal government have responded to requests for comment on the matter.
Hezbollah is part of Iran’s so-called “axis of resistance,” a group of armed extremist groups that serve Tehran’s interests across the Middle East.
A Canadian-listed terrorist group, which it calls a “radical Shia group,” Hezbollah is part of the current conflict launched by the US and Israel on Feb. 28.
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Canada’s national security agencies have long reported that an international Hezbollah fundraising network was operating in the country.
Canada’s 2022 terrorist financing alert warned of Hezbollah’s activities.
It warned that, after the Islamic State, Hezbollah was the most frequently found international terrorist group moving money across borders.
A large part of the money went to Lebanon, often disposed of through the sale of cars, FINTRAC wrote in its warning to financial institutions.
In January, Global News reported that a Lebanese car dealer living in Ontario with a work permit, Fahed Sowane, was allegedly embezzling money “to benefit Hezbollah.”
Although Sowane, who denies the allegations, faces deportation over the allegations, crackdowns related to Hezbollah are rare in Canada.
“Governments must do more to ensure that Canada is not used as a safe haven for the Islamic State of Iran and its proxies to threaten global security and target citizens,” said Nico Slobinsky of the Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs.
“We are calling for stronger law enforcement measures, greater scrutiny and removal of government-linked actors operating in Canada, and stronger action to disrupt any financial or logistical support of designated terrorist organizations.”
This includes fulfilling BC Premier David Eby’s recent promise that the province will not be a safe haven for war criminals and will ensure that they are prosecuted and confiscated.”
‘Hezbollah financial schemes’
Amid the war against Iran, the US announced on Friday that it would sanction a BC company for its alleged role in the network led by Alaa Hamieh, who it called a “financer of Hezbollah.”
Hamieh, who holds Lebanese and Canadian passports, “owns, directly or indirectly, numerous companies related to Hezbollah,” the US Treasury said.
“Alaa Hamieh oversees a network of companies, controlled by family members and close associates, that dispose of and collect money for Hezbollah’s financial team.”
Located in Lebanon, Syria, Poland, Slovenia, Qatar and Canada, the network was involved in projects “estimated to allow the diversion of $100 million from 2020,” it said.
“This network represents an important source of funding for Hezbollah, which continues to embrace violence despite calls for disarmament.”
The director of the BC company, Fadel, “is involved in many projects with Alaa Hamieh and the Hezbollah financial team,” according to the allegations.
It includes “Hezbollah-associated Seven Seas for International Trading and Logistics, which is the Canadian branch of Alaa Hamieh’s similarly named Lebanese companies.”
The listing provides Hamieh’s Canadian passport number. Another holder of a Canadian passport, Usama Ali, is said to be in charge of the finance office of Hamas.
Stewart.Bell@globalnews.ca
