PTI 

Washington, Jun 2: Nearly three years after designating him as a global terrorist, the Bush administration today imposed sanctions on India's most wanted criminal Dawood Ibrahim and his organisation, denying him access to the US financial system.

Besides slapping sanctions against Dawood and his firm, Dawood Ibrahim Organisation which operates in India, Pakistan and the UAE, President George W Bush imposed curbs on Fahd Jamil Georges of Brazil and Ali Naway of Iran. Mexico's Amezcus Contrearas Organisation was also added to the list.

Dawood is wanted in India for the 1993 serial Mumbai blasts. The sanctions have been slapped under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act).

"The action underscores the president's determination to do everthing possible to pursue drug traffickers, undermine operations and end the suffering that trade in illicit drugs inflicts on Americans and other people around the world, as well as preventing drug traffickers from supporting terrorists," a White House statement said. The US had designated Ibrahim as a global terrorist in 2003.

The Kingpin Act, which became law in December 1999, targets foreign narcotics traffickers and their organisations and operatives worldwide, denying them access to the US financial system and all trade and transactions involving US companies and individuals.

The Act does not target countries in which foreign individuals and entities are operating. During the just concluded Indo-Pak Home Secretary-level talks, New Delhi handed over to Islamabad a list of 38 most wanted criminals including Ibrahim. Pakistan has feigned ingorance of the presence of Ibrahim.