US Treasury blacklists Turkish firm for alleged violation of sanctions against N. Korea

The US is blacklisting a Turkish company and two executives for allegedly attempting to circumvent sanctions prohibiting sales of weapons and luxury goods to North Korea, AP reported. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement that SIA Falcon International Group and the individuals acting on its behalf “are blatantly attempting to flout longstanding UN sanctions” against the North. Those penalties are intended to deprive North Korea’s government of revenue for its nuclear weapons program. The Treasury said that earlier this year, SIA Falcon officials in Turkey hosted a diplomat from North Korea’s embassy in Mongolia to negotiate trade deals involving “weapons and luxury goods.” The executives named in Thursday’s action are SIA Falcon CEO Huseyin Sahin and its general manager Erhan Culha. They’re now blocked from doing business with the US.