2013-02614. Unblocking of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons Pursuant To Executive Order 12978

AGENCY:

Office of Foreign Assets Control, Treasury.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) is publishing the names of three individuals whose property and interests in property have been unblocked pursuant to Executive Order 12978 of October 21, 1995, “Blocking Assets and Prohibiting Transactions With Significant Narcotics Traffickers”.

DATES:

The unblocking and removal from the list of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (“SDN List”) of the three individuals identified in this notice whose property and interests in property were blocked pursuant to Executive Order 12978 of October 21, 1995, is effective on January 30, 2013.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Assistant Director, Sanctions Compliance & Evaluation, Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control, Washington, DC 20220, Tel: [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic and Facsimile Availability

This document and additional information concerning OFAC are available from OFAC's web site (www.treasury.gov/​ofac) or via facsimile through a 24-hour fax-on demand service at [phone].

Background

On October 21, 1995, the President, invoking the authority, inter alia, of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701-1706) (“IEEPA”), issued Executive Order 12978 (60 FR 54579, October 24, 1995) (the “Order”). In the Order, the President declared a national emergency to deal with the threat posed by significant foreign narcotics traffickers centered in Colombia and the harm that they cause in the United States and abroad.

Section 1 of the Order blocks, with certain exceptions, all property and interests in property that are in the United States, or that hereafter come within the United States or that are or hereafter come within the possession or control of United States persons, of: (1) The foreign persons listed in an Annex to the Order; (2) any foreign person determined by the Secretary of Treasury, in consultation with the Attorney General and the Secretary of State: (a) To play a significant role in international narcotics trafficking centered in Colombia; or (b) to materially assist in, or provide financial or technological support for or goods or services in support of, the narcotics trafficking activities of persons designated in or pursuant to the Order; and (3) persons determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Attorney General and the Secretary of State, to be owned or controlled by, or to act for or on behalf of, persons designated pursuant to the Order.

On January 30, 2013, the Director of OFAC removed from the SDN List the three individuals listed below, whose property and interests in property were blocked pursuant to the Order:

1. ESQUIVEL PENA, William, c/o UNIPAPEL S.A., Cali, Colombia; c/o BANANERA AGRICOLA S.A., Santa Marta, Colombia; c/o J. FREDDY MAFLA Y CIA. S.C.S., Cali, Colombia; Cedula No. 16641631 (Colombia); Passport 16641631 (Colombia) (individual) [SDNT].

2. LOZANO ESCOBAR, Enrique Alejandro, c/o GRANJA LA SIERRA LTDA., Cali, Colombia; DOB 05 Aug 1961; POB Cali, Valle, Colombia; Cedula No. 16657902 (Colombia); Passport 16657902 (Colombia) (individual) [SDNT].

3. VALENCIA OBANDO, William, c/o GRAN MUELLE S.A., Buenaventura, Colombia; DOB 28 Oct 1969; Cedula No. 79245681 (Colombia); Passport 79245681 (Colombia) (individual) [SDNT].

Dated: January 30, 2013.

Adam J. Szubin,

Director, Office of Foreign Assets Control.