The U.S. Department of the Treasury outlined that collaboration with partners in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom (UK) resulted in sanctions regarding the fentanyl global supply chain.
The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Alex Adrianus Martinus Peijnenburg (Peijnenburg), Martinus Pterus Henri De Koning (De Koning), Matthew Simon Grimm (Grimm), and nine entities pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14059 for supplying illicit fentanyl, synthetic stimulants, cannabinoids, and opioids to domestic markets via internet sales and various shell companies.
According to the Treasury Department, Peijnenburg and De Koning began their drug trafficking enterprise on the dark web, engaging in the direct sale to domestic consumers fentanyl analogues that included acrylfentanyl, furanylfentanyl, and isobutryfentanyl—and various other synthetic opioids.
The Treasury Department indicated Grimm is the registered owner of Smokeyschemsite.com, described by authorities as an online marketplace known to have sold Schedule I controlled substances to domestic customers and received payments through virtual currency.
Through the Executive Order (E.O.) 14059 action, all property and interests in property of the designated individuals and entities in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons must be blocked and reported to OFAC and any entities owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked.
“The Treasury Department will continue to deploy its counternarcotics authorities to disrupt those involved in the fentanyl global supply chain,” Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson 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. I would like to thank our Dutch and UK partners and U.S. law enforcement counterparts for their partnership.”