The US Treasury designated on August 20, 2026 ten individuals linked to a Hizballah cash-smuggling network that moved funds through Lebanon, Türkiye, the UAE, and Iran via hawala channels. The sanctions target specific operators and intermediaries, including previously sanctioned entities Haji Basir and Zarjmil Company Hawala, flagged for terrorism and illicit financial network connections. This surgical approach contrasts with the September 11, 2001 precedent when the designation of al-Barakaat cut off a vital financial channel for the Somali diaspora. The Financial Action Task Force is expected to publish in September 2026 a report on hawala vulnerabilities, an informal transfer system that enables transactions without bank accounts or documentary trails.
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