Activities:

Lebanese national Merhi Ali Abou Merhi owns and controls the Abou Merhi Group, a holding company in Lebanon that is designated.

Abou Merhi Group has multiple subsidiaries in Africa, the Middle East, and Europe including the following 10 designated companies: Abou-Merhi LinesSAL, a shipping line in Lebanon; Abou-Merhi Cruises (AMC) SAL, a travel agency in Lebanon; Le-Mall-Saida, a shopping mall in Lebanon; Queen Stations, a gas station in Lebanon; Orient Queen Homes, a real estate development in Lebanon; maritime shipping subsidiaries in Benin (Abou Merhi Cotonou); Nigeria (Abou Merhi Nigeria); Germany (Abou Merhi Hamburg); Lebanon Center, a shopping mall in Jordan; Abou Merhi Charity Institution in Lebanon.

Merhi Ali Abou Merhi operates an extensive maritime shipping business that enables the Joumaa network’s illicit money laundering activity and widespread narcotics trafficking.

Merhi has business dealings with previously designated members of the Joumaa drug trafficking and money laundering organization.

The following three Lebanese and two German nationals, respectively, are designated for their management roles in Merhi’s various companies: Houeda Ahmad Nasreddine, also known as Houeida Abou Merhi; Ahmad El Bezri; Wajdi Youssef Nasr; Hana Merhi Abou Merhi; and Atef Merhi Abou Merhi.

Merhi’s maritime vessels provide used vehicle transportation services to the Joumaa organization. Merhi, Abou Merhi Group, and Abou Merhi Lines SAL currently own the five vessels identified today: City of Antwerp, City of Lutece, City of Misurata, City of Tokyo, and Orient Queen II.