Regulations last checked for updates: Nov 22, 2024

Title 22 - Foreign Relations last revised: Oct 28, 2024
§ 140.5 - Overview.

This subpart sets forth the enforcement procedures applicable pursuant to § 140.4 to the various types of covered individuals and entities with respect to covered assistance. Section 140.6 establishes the procedures applicable to foreign government entities, including any such entity that is covered by the definition of a “foreign state” set forth in the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, 28 U.S.C. Sec. 1603(a). Section 140.7 establishes the procedures applicable to multilateral institutions and international organizations. Section 140.8 establishes the procedures applicable to recipients of scholarships and fellowships and participant trainees. Section 140.9 establishes the procedures applicable to non-governmental entities. Section 140.10 sets forth additional procedures applicable to intermediate credit institutions. Sections 140.11 through 140.14 contain general provisions related to the enforcement process.

§ 140.6 - Foreign government entities.

(a) Determination Procedures. (1) The Country Narcotics Coordinator shall be responsible for establishing a system for reviewing available information regarding narcotics offense convictions and drug trafficking of proposed assistance recipients under this section and, except under the circumstances described in § 140.6(a)(6), determining whether a proposed recipient is to be denied such assistance or other measures are to be taken as a result of the application of FAA Section 487.

(2) Prior to providing covered assistance to or through a proposed recipient, the agency providing the assistance shall provide the Country Narcotics Coordinator in the country in which the proposed recipient is located or, as appropriate, where assistance is to be provided, the information specified in § 140.6(a)(3) in order that the Country Narcotics Coordinator may carry out his or her responsibilities under this part.

(3) In each case, the agency proposing the assistance shall provide to the Country Narcotics Coordinator the name of each key individual within the recipient entity who may be expected to control or benefit from assistance as well as other relevant identifying information (e.g., address, date of birth) that is readily available. If a question arises concerning who should be included within the group of key individuals of an entity, the agency providing the assistance shall consult with the Country Narcotics Coordinator, and the decision shall be made by the Country Narcotics Coordinator. If the agency proposing the assistance disagrees with the Country Narcotics Coordinator's decision regarding who should be included within the group of key individuals, the agency may request that the decision be reviewed by the Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs in consultation with other appropriate bureaus and agencies. Any such review undertaken by the Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs shall be completed expeditiously.

(4) Within fourteen calendar days after receiving the name of a proposed recipient and other relevant information, the Country Narcotics Coordinator shall determine whether any available information may warrant withholding assistance or taking other measures under this part, based on the criteria set forth in § 140.6(b). If, during that period, the Country Narcotics Coordinator determines that available information does not so indicate, he or she shall notify the proposing agency that the assistance may be provided to the proposed recipient.

(5) If, during the initial fourteen-day period, the Country Narcotics Coordinator determines that information exists that may warrant withholding assistance or taking other measures under this part, then the Country Narcotics Coordinator shall have another fourteen calendar days to make a final determination whether the assistance shall be provided or withheld or such other measures taken.

(6) A decision to withhold assistance or to take other measures based on information or allegations that a key individual who is a senior government official of the host nation has been convicted of a narcotics offense or has been engaged in drug trafficking shall be made by the Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, or by a higher ranking official of the Department of State, in consultation with other appropriate bureaus and agencies. For the purpose of this part, “senior government official” includes host nation officials at or above the vice minister level, heads of host nation law enforcement agencies, and general or flag officers of the host nation armed forces.

(b) Criteria to be Applied. (1) A decision to withhold assistance or take other measures shall be based on knowledge or reason to believe that the proposed recipient, within the past ten years, has:

(i) Been convicted of a narcotics offense as defined in this part; or

(ii) Been engaged in drug trafficking, regardless of whether there has been a conviction.

(2) Factors that may support a decision to withhold assistance or take other measures based on reason to believe that the proposed recipient has been engaged in drug trafficking activities within the past ten years when there has been no conviction of such an offense may include, but are not limited to, the following:

(i) Admission of participation in such activities;

(ii) A long record of arrests for drug trafficking activities with an unexplained failure to prosecute by the local government;

(iii) Adequate reliable information indicating involvement in drug trafficking.

(3) If the Country Narcotics Coordinator knows or has reason to believe that a key individual (as described in § 140.6(a)(3)) within a proposed recipient entity has been convicted of a narcotics offense or has been engaged in drug trafficking under the terms of this part, the Country Narcotics Coordinator must then decide whether withholding assistance from the entity or taking other measures to structure the provision of assistance to meet the requirements of section 487 is warranted. This decision shall be made in consultation with the agency proposing the assistance and other appropriate bureaus and agencies. In making this determination, the Country Narcotics Coordinator shall take into account:

(i) The extent to which such individual would have control over assistance received;

(ii) The extent to which such individual could benefit personally from the assistance;

(iii) Whether such individual has acted alone or in collaboration with others associated with the entity;

(iv) The degree to which financial or other resources of the entity itself have been used to support drug trafficking; and

(v) Whether the provision of assistance to the entity can be structured in such a way as to exclude from the effective control or benefit of the assistance any key individuals with respect to whom a negative determination has been made.

(c) Violations Identified Subsequent to Obligation. The foregoing procedures provide for a determination before funds are obligated. If, however, subsequent to an obligation of funds an assistance recipient or a key individual of such recipient is found to have been convicted of a narcotics offense or to have been engaged in drug trafficking (e.g., the head of a recipient entity changes during the course of an activity and the new head is found to have been engaged in drug trafficking), appropriate action should be taken, including, if necessary, termination of the assistance. Agreements shall be written to permit termination of assistance in such circumstances.

§ 140.7 - Multilateral institutions and international organizations.

Assistance provided to or through multilateral institutions or international organizations is subject to this part as follows:

(a) Where the government agency providing assistance has reasonable grounds to suspect that a recipient multilateral institution or international organization may be or may have been involved in drug trafficking, the provisions of § 140.6 shall apply.

(b) Where the government agency providing assistance designates the recipient of assistance from the multilateral institution or international organization and the designated recipient is a covered individual or entity, the provisions of this part shall apply as if the assistance were provided directly to the designated recipient.

(c) Where the government agency providing assistance does not designate the recipient of assistance from the multilateral institution or international organization, this part do not apply, other than as provided in paragraph (a) of this section, except that the agency's agreement with the multilateral institution or international organization shall stipulate that such entity is to make reasonable efforts, as necessary, to ensure that the assistance is not diverted in support of drug trafficking.

Example:The State Department provides $600,000 to the United Nations for the United Nations Drug Control Program, specifically designating that Government D of a covered country receive $150,000 and Corporation E receive $60,000 for training programs in a covered country. Individuals who will receive training are not specifically designated by the State Department. The United Nations is a covered entity based on § 140.4(a)(1); Government D is a covered entity based on §§ 140.4(b) and 140.7(b); Corporation E is not a covered entity under §§ 140.4(b) and 140.7(b) because it has been designated to receive less than $100,000 in assistance (§ 140.3(c)(2)). Participant trainees are not covered individuals because they fall under the exception contained in § 140.7(c) (see also § 140.4(a)(2)).
§ 140.8 - Recipients of scholarships, fellowships, and participant training.

(a) Procedures. Individuals who are located in a covered country and who are proposed recipients of scholarships, fellowships, or participant training, except those falling under the exception contained in § 140.7(c), are subject to the review procedures, criteria, and procedures concerning violations identified subsequent to obligation of funds set forth in § 140.6. Such review of recipient individuals is in addition to the provisions applicable to the recipient entity providing the assistance.

(b) Certifications. Individuals who are located in a covered country and who are proposed recipients of scholarships, fellowships, or participant training shall also be required to certify prior to approval that, within the last ten years, they have not been convicted of a narcotics offense, have not been engaged in drug trafficking, and have not knowingly assisted, abetted, conspired, or colluded with others in drug trafficking. False certification may subject the assistance recipient to U.S. criminal prosecution under 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1001 and to withdrawal of assistance under this part.

§ 140.9 - Other non-governmental entities and individuals.

(a) Procedures. Section 140.9 applies to private voluntary agencies, educational institutions, for-profit firms, other non-governmental entities and private individuals. A non-governmental entity that is not organized under the laws of the United States shall be subject to the review procedures and criteria set forth in § 140.6(a) and (b). A non-governmental entity that is organized under the laws of the United States shall not be subject to such review procedures and criteria. However, an agency providing assistance shall follow such review procedures and criteria, as modified by section § 140.14, if the agency has reasonable grounds to suspect that a proposed U.S. non-governmental entity or a key individual of such entity may be or may have been involved in drug trafficking or may have been convicted of a narcotics offense. Procedures set forth in § 140.6(c) concerning violations identified subsequent to obligation shall apply to both U.S. and foreign non-governmental entities.

Examples:(1) A $100,000 grant to a covered U.S. university for participant training would not be subject to the review procedures and criteria in § 140.6(a) and (b). However, a proposed participant would be subject to the review procedures and criteria in § 140.6(a) and (b) as part of the agency's approval process.

(2) A $100,000 grant to a covered foreign private voluntary agency for participant training would be subject to the review procedures and criteria in § 140.6(a) and (b). In addition, each proposed participant would be subject to the review procedures and criteria in § 140.6(a) and (b) as part of the agency's approval process.

(b) Refunds. A clause shall be included in grants, contracts, and other agreements with both U.S. and foreign non-governmental entities requiring that assistance provided to or through such an entity that is subsequently found to have been engaged in drug trafficking, as defined in this part, shall be subject to refund or recall.

(c) Certifications. Prior to approval of covered assistance, key individuals (as described in § 140.6(a)(3)) in both U.S. and foreign non-governmental entities shall be required to certify that, within the last ten years, they have not been convicted of a narcotics offense, have not been engaged in drug trafficking and have not knowingly assisted, abetted, conspired, or colluded with others in drug trafficking. False certification may subject the signatory to U.S. criminal prosecution under 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1001.

§ 140.10 - Intermediate credit institutions.

(a) Treatment as non-governmental entity or as a foreign government entity. Intermediate credit institutions (“ICIs”) shall be subject to either the procedures applicable to foreign government entities or those applicable to non-governmental entities, depending on the nature of the specific entity. The Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs or the Assistant Secretary's designee, in consultation with the agency proposing the assistance and other appropriate bureaus and agencies, shall determine (consistent with the definition of “foreign state” set forth in the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, 28 U.S.C. 1603(a) and made applicable by § 140.5) whether the ICI will be treated as a non-governmental entity or a foreign government entity.

(b) Refunds. In addition to measures required as a consequence of an ICI's treatment as a non-governmental entity or a foreign government entity, a clause shall be included in agreements with all ICIs requiring that any loan greater than $1,000 provided by the ICI to an individual or entity subsequently found to have been convicted of a narcotics offense or engaged in drug trafficking, as defined in this part, shall be subject to refund or recall.

§ 140.11 - Minimum enforcement procedures.

Sections 140.6 through 140.10 represent the minimum procedures that each agency providing assistance must apply in order to implement FAA Section 487. Under individual circumstances, however, additional measures may be appropriate. In those cases, agencies providing assistance are encouraged to take additional steps, as necessary, to ensure that the statutory restrictions are enforced.

§ 140.12 - Interagency review procedures.

If the agency proposing the assistance disagrees with a determination by the Country Narcotics Coordinator to withhold assistance or take other measures, the agency may request that the determination be reviewed by the Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs in coordination with other appropriate bureaus and agencies. Unless otherwise determined by the Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, the assistance shall continue to be withheld pending resolution of the review.

§ 140.13 - Notification to foreign entities and individuals.

(a) Unless otherwise determined under § 140.13(b), if a determination has been made that assistance to a foreign entity or individual is to be withheld, suspended, or terminated under this part, the agency administering such assistance shall so inform the affected entity or individual. Except as the agency administering such assistance, the Country Narcotics Coordinator, and the agency or agencies that are the source of information that formed the basis for withholding, suspending, or terminating assistance may otherwise agree, the entity or individual shall be notified solely of the statutory basis for withholding, suspending, or terminating assistance.

(b) Before such notification, the Country Narcotics Coordinator shall be responsible for ascertaining, in coordination with the investigating agency, that notification would not interfere with an on-going criminal investigation. If the investigating agency believes that there is a significant risk of such interference, the Country Narcotics Coordinator, in coordination with the investigating agency, shall determine the means of compliance with this statute that best minimizes such risk.

§ 140.14 - Special procedures for U.S. entities and individuals.

(a) If the Country Narcotics Coordinator makes a preliminary decision that evidence exists to justify withholding, suspending, or terminating assistance to a U.S. entity, U.S. citizen, or permanent U.S. resident, the matter shall be referred immediately to the Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs for appropriate action, to be taken in consultation with the agency proposing the assistance and the agency or agencies that provided information reviewed or relied upon in making the preliminary decision.

(b) If a determination is made that assistance is to be withheld, suspended, or terminated under this part, the Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, or the Assistant Secretary's designee, shall notify the affected U.S. entity, U.S. citizen, or permanent U.S. resident and provide such entity or individual with an opportunity to respond before action is taken. In no event, shall this part be interpreted to create a right to classified information or law enforcement investigatory information by such entity or individual.

authority: 22 U.S.C. 2651a(a)(4)
source: 63 FR 36574, July 7, 1998, unless otherwise noted.
cite as: 22 CFR 140.10