126. I tried to ship a package and it was returned to me because of “OFAC sanctions.”  Why?

There may have been one or more reasons the package was rejected.  For example, was it destined for Cuba and lacking a description of the contents?  Was it an unlicensed commercial shipment destined for North Korea?  Was it a personal gift destined for an individual in Iran with a stated value exceeding $100?  These examples are legitimate reasons for shipping companies to refuse to process such packages, such as packages that do not conform with shipping company guidelines and rules, as well as OFAC and other U.S. government regulations.  Not only could you be liable for attempting to send such packages, but the shipping companies also could be liable for their role in processing these.  See OFAC’s country program webpages for more information on the restrictions on shipments to high-risk jurisdictions, for example the Crimea region of Ukraine, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, or Syria.