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Follow the money, it often leads to the explosives, illegal arms deals, corrupt banks, & Swampy politicians. #BeirutExplosion #ButNothingsHappening https://twitter.com/OCCRP/status/1296842313826795522
A Russian operator, explosives from George, heading to Mozambique, a British middleman working for some Ukrainians...
You almost couldn't make this up!
You almost couldn't make this up!
The entire operation hidden behind shell companies, of course...
Like so many cases, you must spend significant time deciphering the shell companies & secret bank accounts in off shore havens.
Like so many cases, you must spend significant time deciphering the shell companies & secret bank accounts in off shore havens.
The Russian was only leasing the ship from a shipping oligarch in Cyprus. Of course the ship was owned through a shell company in Panama to hide the ownership of the vessel doing this dirty business.
The 2013 operation was financed by a FBME a crooked Lebanese bank that laundered money for Hezbollah & Syrian WMD programs.
FBME was sanctioned by the US for this activity, wonder if this connects to #OperationCassandra? Where the Obama Admin shut down DEA cases againsy Hezbollah
FBME was sanctioned by the US for this activity, wonder if this connects to #OperationCassandra? Where the Obama Admin shut down DEA cases againsy Hezbollah
The Mozambique factory never tried to claim the explosives while it sat in a warehouse in Beirut from 2013-2020.
A British company (shell company?) tried to secure it in 2015 until testing showed it was low quality material.
A British company (shell company?) tried to secure it in 2015 until testing showed it was low quality material.
All showing how Swampy governments leave loopholes to allow shell companies & shipping magnates to conduct Swampy deals with no consequences... Until their goods blow up in a populated city at least...
Oh what a tangled web we weave...
So a Russian living in money laundering haven Cyprus is the one who leased the vessel & registered it. Looks like they falsified safety certifications of the vessel too in order to operate the vessel.
Shell companies hiding behind shell companies to use crappy ships to make shady shipments...
FBME has been linked to other dirty deeds before this one, they are the bank of a wealthy Lebanese family that was licensed in Tanzania, another off shore haven for people who pay the right Swamp creatures.
They closed in 2014 after the US sanctions kicked in...
They closed in 2014 after the US sanctions kicked in...
The ship allegedly stopped in Beirut to pick up cars & trucks to pay for the Suez canal voyage. I wonder if this was just a cover story? Though Operation Cassandra identified vehicle trades as a means Hezbollah used to smuggle drugs, weapons & money...
The Mozambique explosives factory is actually owned by the family of a Portuguese businessman in the company name Moura Silva & Filhos. The same company provided the explosives used in the Madrid train attack by Al Qaeda.
This case starts connecting to Swampy figures in Portugal, Mozambique & smuggling operations to North Korea and a variety of other illegal businesses.
More front companies, drug kingpins wanted by the US government... It's getting Swampier in here...
Of course then it ties back into the Swamp in the United Kingdom with a company that also has their ownership & offices in Ukraine...
But it looks like they have Directors of the company in both the US & Ukraine...
But it looks like they have Directors of the company in both the US & Ukraine...
No one, seemed to want to touch this shady shipment of ammonium nitrate, which meant leaving it in the port of Beirut for almost 7 years until it exploded. Two weeks before it exploded, the President & PM of Lebanon tried to take action, but too little, too late.
