The US Treasury Department said it imposed sanctions on a trafficking network led by two Dutch nationals and one Briton for allegedly supplying fentanyl and other synthetic drugs to buyers through the Internet.
(Bloomberg) — The US Treasury Department said it imposed sanctions on a trafficking network led by two Dutch nationals and one Briton for allegedly supplying fentanyl and other synthetic drugs to buyers through the Internet.
Wednesday’s move marked the first time Treasury imposed sanctions under a new authority that President Joe Biden granted in an executive order last year. It allowed Treasury to impose financial restrictions on anyone linked to “the international proliferation of illicit drugs or their means of production.”
It’s part of a broader effort by the administration to target the sale of illicit drugs online and through darknet marketplaces, Treasury said.
“Treasury is identifying over 50 virtual wallet addresses associated with this network’s drug trafficking activities as we take further action to counter the abuse of virtual currency,” said Brian Nelson, the undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence.
Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, which oversees sanctions policy, said the trafficking network generated millions of dollars in virtual currency by selling fentanyl analogues and other synthetic drugs to US consumers through the Internet.
Treasury also sanctioned several shell companies associated with the men.
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