Rhino: Agencies – The U.S. Treasury on Thursday imposed sanctions on Ahmed Abdalla (Abdalla), a Sudanese Ukrainian citizen and an official of the Defense Industries System (DIS), the primary procurement arm of the Sudanese Armed Forces.

Since OFAC’s designation of DIS in June 2023, the company has sought to procure weapons and equipment through informal means. To evade sanctions, DIS conducts procurement activities through ostensibly private companies acting on its behalf.

Abdullah is the chief operating officer of Portex Trade Limited, a company that dealt with entities involved in the sale of military equipment. Abdullah coordinated the purchase of Iranian-made drones from an Azerbaijani defense company for shipment to Sudan.

Abdullah has been designated for being a foreign person owned or controlled by, or acting or purporting to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Defense Industrial Regime, whose property and interests in property are blocked under E.O. 14098.

Portex Trade Limited is a Hong Kong-based company controlled by Abdullah. Bortex is designated for being a foreign entity owned or controlled by, or acting or purporting to act for or on behalf of, Abdullah, directly or indirectly, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked by E.O. 14098.