Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree says Canadian security agencies are looking into a B.C.-based company that has been sanctioned by the United States due to an alleged financial link to Hezbollah, an Iran-backed terrorist organization.
Anandasangaree told reporters on March 25 that the RCMP and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) are “reviewing the situation and then they will have more to say.”
The U.S. Treasury Department said on March 20 that it has sanctioned Vancouver-based Seven Seas for International Trading and Logistics, along with 15 other companies and individuals, which it says represent a “critical source of funding” for Hezbollah.
B.C.’s Ministry of Finance said the province was not alerted to the situation prior to the U.S. announcement, and officials are contacting federal counterparts in response to the announcement.
When asked by reporters why Canadians heard about the situation from U.S. officials and not from the RCMP, Anandsangaree reiterated that Canadian security agencies would have more to say on the situation.
“Look, we often do not talk about matters that are under investigation, and as you’re aware, there are a range of things that our law enforcement do, including on national security matters, and this is one of those matters where they will have more to say,” the minister said.
A spokesperson for the RCMP told The Epoch Times that it is aware of the U.S. sanctions against the B.C. company, and is working with FINTRAC, CSIS and international law enforcement partners, including those in the United States, “to determine the extent of this network in Canada and disrupt the transfer of funds and resources to listed terrorist organizations.”
“To protect operational integrity, we will not disclose information on potential or ongoing investigations until charges are laid and it’s a matter of public record,” the spokesperson said.
A spokesperson for CSIS told The Epoch Times that Canada’s national security agencies “are looking at this issue and working with US partners accordingly.”
The U.S. government accused Seven Seas, and the other sanctioned individuals and entities, of being under the leadership of a Hezbollah financier named Alaa Hassan Hamieh who allegedly oversees the network of companies controlled through family members and trusted resources that launders and raises funds for Hezbollah’s finance team.
The other sanctioned companies and individuals are located in Lebanon, Syria, Poland, Slovenia, and Qatar, and have allegedly raised more than $100 million for the terrorist organization since 2020, according to the U.S. department.
The department also identified Qatar-based Raoof Fadel as the founder of Seven Seas, and said he has allegedly participated in multiple projects with Hamieh and the Hezbollah finance team.
The U.S. sanctions mean Seven Seas is prohibited from conducting operations in the United States, and transactions involving the firm are also prohibited for American businesses or individuals, as well as those operating within the country.
“Violations of U.S. sanctions may result in the imposition of civil or criminal penalties on U.S. and foreign persons,” the department said.
The company has not yet responded to requests for comment.
Hezbollah was founded in 1982 and has been designated as a terrorist group by Canada, the United States, the UK, and Israel. Public Safety Canada describes the group as “one of the most technically capable terrorist groups in the world.”
The U.S. Treasury Department said Hezbollah “continues to embrace violence despite calls to disarm.” The terrorist organization “continues to divert funds that rightfully belong to the Lebanese people to finance its terrorist operations,” U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a March 20 statement.
Hezbollah has most recently targeted northern Israel with rocket attacks from Lebanon in retaliation against the ongoing military operations conducted by the United States and Israel against Iran, which began on Feb. 28 after negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program broke down.
Israel has responded to Hezbollah’s attacks with airstrikes on Beirut, the capital of Lebanon.
Canada, along with France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom, signed a joint statement on March 16 condemning Hezbollah’s “decision to join Iran in hostilities.”
“Hezbollah’s attacks on Israel and the targeting of civilians must cease and they must disarm,” the joint statement said.
Jennifer Cowan and The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
