One of the FARC individuals sanctioned , Alexander Farfan Suarez (a.k.a. "Enrique Gafas"), was captured by Colombian authorities during the July 2, 2008 hostage rescue mission that freed three U.S. citizens, Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes and Keith Stansell. The three, who were held captive roughly five years, were rescued along with 12 other hostages held by the FARC. Also captured during the mission was the FARC's 1^st Front commander, Gerardo Antonio Aguilar Ramirez (a.k.a. "Cesar"), who was designated by OFAC on September 28, 2006.

This OFAC sanctions investigation targets a logistical and financial support network of the FARC's 1^st Front, run by Nancy Conde Rubio (a.k.a. "Doris Adriana"). Conde Rubio, arrested by Colombian authorities in February 2008, oversaw individuals and entities that used money derived from FARC narcotics sales to procure weapons, ammunition, communications gear, medical equipment, uniforms and airplane fuel. Conde Rubio communicated with various persons in the FARC network targeted by this action using Communicaciones Unidas de Colombia Ltda., a call center located in Villavicencio, Colombia, operated by FARC associate Ana Isabel Pena Arevalo. This FARC network laundered its drug trafficking monies through two money exchange businesses or cambistas - Cambios Euro Ltda. and La Monedita De Oro Ltda. - both located in Bogota, Colombia. Two other Bogota-based FARC front companies, Dizriver Y Cia S. En C. and Colchones Sunmoons Ltda., were also designated.

Conde Rubio and eight other individuals sanctioned by OFAC today were named in a February 2008 U.S. federal indictment in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia for materially assisting the FARC.

Also designated today is Jose Maria Corredor Ibague (a.k.a. "Boyaco"), considered one of the FARC's most prolific arms-for-drugs traffickers of the past few years. Josue Cuesta Leon (a.k.a. "El Viejo") and Edilma Morales Loaiza, both key arms traffickers involved in the FARC's drug trafficking activities, were also named.

OFAC's sanctions investigation of the FARC's 1^st Front would not have been possible without the support of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.

In addition, Exchange Center Ltda., a Colombian cambista linked to the FARC's 27^th Front, is being designated by OFAC today. Previously, on May 7, 2008, OFAC designated Mercurio International S.A., a Colombian money exchange house ("casa de cambio") for providing support to the FARC.