The US government has decided to impose sanctions on 6 individuals and 7 companies involved in a money laundering network supporting the Sinaloa cartel. Additionally, 17 people were deported in the operation conducted in the country.

The US Treasury Department stated that the Sinaloa cartel is responsible for a significant portion of the illegal fentanyl and other drugs entering the US, using many entry points along the southern border for criminal activities. The statement mentioned that sanctions were applied to 6 individuals and 7 companies involved in the money laundering network supporting the Sinaloa cartel. The decision for these sanctions came after a coordinated investigation involving the Southern District of California, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the Mexican government, which identified a high-ranking member of the cartel among those targeted by the sanctions. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, whose statement was included in the press release, emphasized that the laundered drug money is crucial to the cartel’s drug terrorism activities.

Bessent also underscored that the Treasury Department will collaborate with all government agencies to target anyone supporting cartels’ criminal and violent campaigns in addressing this national security threat.

ANTI-TERROR OPERATION
Furthermore, the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that 17 individuals from the ‘Tren de Aragua’ and ‘MS-13’ gangs were deported in an anti-terror operation they organized. In a written statement about the operation, Rubio reminded that US President Donald Trump designated ‘Tren de Aragua’ and ‘MS-13’ as foreign terrorist organizations, stating, “These criminals will no longer be able to terrorize our societies and citizens.” Rubio expressed gratitude to El Salvador for their partnership in the anti-terror operation conducted last night along with them, which resulted in the deportation of 17 ‘violent criminals’ affiliated with the ‘Tren de Aragua’ and ‘MS-13’ organizations.