US Blocks Houthi Network Smuggling Russian Arms & Stolen Ukrainian Grain

Cargo ship — Image for representation purposes only

The US has imposed fresh sanctions on a network of Houthi financial facilitators and procurement operatives linked to the Iranian-backed militant group.

The group has been actively obtaining Russian commodities, including weapons and stolen Ukrainian grain for shipment to Houthi-controlled Yemen.

The network operates under the direction of Sa’id al-Jamal, a senior Houthi financial official with ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF).

According to OFAC, al-Jamal’s network has facilitated transactions worth tens of millions of dollars to support the Houthis’ military operations.

The US also identified eight digital asset wallets used by the group to transfer funds related to these activities.

The Houthis have been using drones, missiles and naval mines to target commercial shipping in the Red Sea. These attacks backed by Iran, have caused civilian casualties and damage to shipping infrastructure.

The US designated the Houthis as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) group on February 16, 2024. Al Jamal was sanctioned under the same order in June 2021 for supporting the IRGC-QF, while the IRGC-QF itself was designated in 2007.

The Houthi procurement network involves multiple individuals and companies:

Hushang Ghairat and Sohrab Ghairat: Russia-based Afghan businessmen, worked under al-Jamal’s direction to facilitate trade deals for the Houthis.
In mid to late 2024, the Ghairat brothers arranged at least two shipments of stolen Ukrainian grain from Crimea to Yemen.
The shipments were conducted using the Russia-flagged bulk carrier AM THESEUS (IMO: 9720263), also known as ZAFAR.
The vessel is registered under Hong Kong-based AM Asia M6 Ltd, which also manages and operates it.
Vyacheslav Vladimirovich Vidanov and Yuri Vladimirovich Belyakov, Russian nationals, captained the vessel during its voyages between Crimea and Yemen.

OFAS has blacklisted all individuals and entities linked to these operations. The AM THESEUS has also been identified as blocked property due to its connection with AM Asia M6 Ltd.

The US Treasury also sanctioned financial operatives assisting al-Jamal’s network:

Hassan Jafari, a Turkiye-based Iranian national, is accused of laundering money for al-Jamal’s network.
Jafari arranged multimillion-dollar transactions to facilitate Houthi linked shipments.
The Ghairat brothers used various financial facilitators to process transactions related to these operations.

Sohrab Ghairat also oversees three Russia-based companies-LLC Sky Frame, LLC Edison, and LLC Kolibri Group, which have now been sanctioned for being under his control.

Reference: US Treasury Department

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