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Title 21 — Food and DrugsRelease 119-73

§2313a Designation of transactions of sanctioned persons as of primary money laundering concern

Title 21 › Chapter CHAPTER 28— - SANCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO FOREIGN TRAFFICKERS OF ILLICIT SYNTHETIC OPIOIDS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - SANCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO FOREIGN OPIOID TRAFFICKERS › § 2313a

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Treasury Secretary can decide that one or more foreign banks, certain kinds of transactions, or certain account types outside the United States are mainly being used to launder money tied to illegal opioid trafficking. If the Secretary finds that, they can order U.S. banks and financial agencies to take special steps laid out in the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, or they can block or put conditions on certain money transfers that involve those foreign banks, transaction types, or accounts. If the decision used classified information, the Secretary may give that information to the court privately. Reports filed under these rules get the same secrecy and disclosure protections in the 2021 law and under the Freedom of Information Act. The penalties and the civil legal tools described in the 2021 law also apply to violations and enforcement.

Full Legal Text

Title 21, §2313a

Food and Drugs — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)If the Secretary of the Treasury determines that reasonable grounds exist for concluding that 1 or more financial institutions operating outside of the United States, 1 or more classes of transactions within, or involving, a jurisdiction outside of the United States, or 1 or more types of accounts within, or involving, a jurisdiction outside of the United States, is of primary money laundering concern in connection with illicit opioid trafficking, the Secretary of the Treasury may, by order, regulation, or otherwise as permitted by law—
(1)require domestic financial institutions and domestic financial agencies to take 1 or more of the special measures provided for in section 9714(a)(1) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116–283; 31 U.S.C. 5318A note); or
(2)prohibit, or impose conditions upon, certain transmittals of funds (to be defined by the Secretary) by any domestic financial institution or domestic financial agency, if such transmittal of funds involves any such institution, class of transaction, or type of accounts.
(b)In any judicial review of a finding of the existence of a primary money laundering concern, or of the requirement for 1 or more special measures with respect to a primary money laundering concern made under this section, if the designation or imposition, or both, were based on classified information (as defined in section 1(a) of the Classified Information Procedures Act (18 U.S.C. App.)), such information may be submitted by the Secretary to the reviewing court ex parte and in camera. This subsection does not confer or imply any right to judicial review of any finding made or any requirement imposed under this section.
(c)The exemptions from, and prohibitions on, search and disclosure referred to in section 9714(c) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116–283; 31 U.S.C. 5318A note) shall apply to any report or record of report filed pursuant to a requirement imposed under subsection (a). For purposes of section 552 of title 5, this subsection shall be considered a statute described in subsection (b)(3)(B) of such section.
(d)The penalties referred to in section 9714(d) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116–283; 31 U.S.C. 5318A note) shall apply to violations of any order, regulation, special measure, or other requirement imposed under subsection (a), in the same manner and to the same extent as described in such section 9714(d).
(e)The Secretary of the Treasury may bring a civil action to enjoin a violation of any order, regulation, special measure, or other requirement imposed under subsection (a) in the same manner and to the same extent as described in section 9714(e) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116–283; 31 U.S.C. 5318A note).

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 1(a) of the Classified Information Procedures Act, referred to in subsec. (b), is section 1(a) of Pub. L. 96–456, Oct. 15, 1980, 94 Stat. 2025, which is set out in the Appendix to Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

21 U.S.C. § 2313a

Title 21 — Food and Drugs

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73