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UK Govt unveils its largest-ever sanctions package against Russia, targeting 101 ships, 5 individuals, and 4 entities connected to the country’s shadow fleet and its facilitators

The Govt will sanction up to 100 oil tankers that form a core part of Putin’s shadow fleet operation and are responsible for carrying more than $24 billion worth of cargo since the start of 2024. It is the latest move by the Government to safeguard working people, protect the UK’s national security and deliver on the foundations of the Plan for Change…

UK updates Syria sanctions to aid reconstruction, easing restrictions on finance and energy sectors, while keeping penalties on Assad-linked figures tied to human rights abuses and illicit trade

With the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, the UK recognizes the need to assist in rebuilding Syria’s economy and infrastructure, which have been severely damaged by years of conflict. By easing these sanctions, the UK aims to facilitate essential investments in Syria’s energy and financial systems, helping to stabilize the country…

OFSI flags key sanctions evasion risks in new Legal Services Threat Report – from asset mismanagement to misuse of complex structures and TCSPs

Key issues include mismanagement of frozen assets, breaches of licence conditions, and flawed assessments of ownership and UK nexus. The report raises concern over underreporting of suspected sanctions breaches and highlights increasingly sophisticated evasion tactics—such as the use of cryptoassets and professional enablers. Legal professionals are urged to bolster due diligence procedures…

OFSI Annual Review (Mar 25) data reveals the full effect of UK sanctions on Russia with over £25bn of Russian assets reported frozen since Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine

The latest figures reveal the growing economic toll of sanctions, with over 2,000 individuals and entities designated under the Russia regime. OFSI highlights a significant increase in enforcement actions and public disclosures, signalling a tougher stance on non-compliance…

 

OFSI issues a monetary penalty of £465K on HSF Moscow, for violating UK financial sanctions on Russia, related to its illegal invasion of Ukraine

The monetary penalty relates to six payments made by HSF Moscow with a collective value of £3,932,392.10 to designated persons subject to an asset freeze. The designated persons were Alfa-Bank JSC, PJSC Sovcombank, and PJSC Sberbank. In committing the breaches, the firm made funds directly available to sanctioned entities…

UK lifts sanctions on 24 Syrian entities, including central bank and energy firms, to support Syria’s economic rebuilding

The UK government has lifted asset freezes on 24 Syrian entities, including the Central Bank of Syria, Syrian Arab Airlines, and several energy companies, as part of efforts to help Syrians rebuild their country and economy. However, sanctions on the Assad regime and those involved in illicit captagon trade remain in place…

UK unleashes largest sanctions package since 2022, targeting Russia’s military supply chains and global financial networks

The UK has unveiled a historic sanctions package targeting a broad array of sectors from military suppliers in China and Turkey to North Korean officials aiding Russia’s military. In a bold move it sanctioned OJSC Keremet Bank for its role in supporting Russia’s war while escalating pressure on Russia’s energy sector by sanctioning 40 ‘shadow fleet’ tankers. The UK also targeted 14 new Kremlin-linked billionaires reinforcing its commitment to Ukraine’s…

UK Govt urges European partners to adopt its pioneering sanctions regime aimed at targeting organised immigration crime gangs and their networks

Foreign Secretary urges international action on one of the defining security threats of our time – irregular migration. Partners pressed to replicate UK’s world-first plans for sanctions targeting people smugglers. £8m additional funding will short-circuit people smugglers’ business model, delivering on the government’s Plan for Change and commitment to protect UK borders…

OFSI updates General licence INT/2024/4423849 to add CN/HS commodity code 2710 1944 under “premium to crude” and its guidance on the UK Maritime Services Ban and Oil Price Cap exception

This price cap exception permits the supply or delivery of Russian oil and oil products by ship, as well as provision of associated services, only where they have been purchased or sold at or below a corresponding set price, or ‘cap’ for that oil or oil product, excluding the UK…

UK Government announces new sanctions against Russian cybercrime network

The UK government is taking strong action against ZSERVERS, a Russian Bulletproof Hosting (BPH) provider, and its affiliated cybercriminals, marking a significant step in combatting ransomware threats and protecting national security.

SRA Guidance on Trade Sanctions for Legal Sector, sets out key risks including impact on legal work such as Client due diligence and risk assessment

Areas of legal work that could be affected by trade sanctions include: Legal advisory services – Providing advice on corporate structures, contracts, or transactions that could involve sanctioned entities or jurisdictions; Trust and company services – Setting up companies, trusts, or other legal structures that may be used to evade trade sanctions; Client due diligence and risk assessment – Ensuring firms conduct proper checks when dealing with high-risk clients or transactions…

 

Jersey FSC updates its financial sanctions practical guidance following OFSI’s removal of Nikolay Ivanovich Bortsov from the UK Russia sanctions list

The JFSC supervises regulated persons to ensure that their sanctions systems and controls are: adequate and effective at addressing sanctions risk; and appropriate to respond swiftly to changes in UN and UK sanctions regimes…

 

 

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