US authorities have sanctioned two Mexican casinos over links to the Cartel del Noreste – a group designated as a terrorist organisation by the Trump regime.
The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has claimed that the Casino Centenario, located in Nuevo Laredo, is being used by the cartel as a ‘stash house’ for drugs and to facilitate the laundering of illicit funds.
OFAC has also sanctioned the Diamante Casino, as well as Comercializadora y Arrendadora de Mexico, S.A. de C.V., the company that operates both casinos.
Scott Bessent, Secretary of the Treasury, said: “As President Trump has made clear, Treasury will use all tools to protect our nation from violent cartels looking to reign terror on innocent Americans.
“The Treasury will continue to target the diverse revenue streams that cartels rely on to sustain their operations, which include trafficking fentanyl and illegal aliens into the United States.”
The Cartel del Noreste was described by OFAC as one of ‘Mexico’s most violent drug trafficking organisations’, and is based in Nuevo Laredo, a busy commercial port on the US-Mexico border.
The group splintered from the Los Zetas organisation in 2014 and is accused of being involved in drug smuggling, people trafficking, money laundering and extortion.
Alongside the businesses, Eduardo Javier Islas Valdez has also been sanctioned as he is accused of being in charge of the organisation’s human smuggling operations.
Meanwhile, OFAC claims that attorney Juan Pablo Penilla Rodriguez is providing illegal services to the cartel and activist Jesus Reymundo Ramos Vazquez is filing false claims against the Mexican authorities to spread cartel disinformation.
The sanctions block assets that the sanctioned individuals and entities have in the US and prohibit people from doing business with them in the US.
OFAC has previously sanctioned five high-ranking members of the group, and the most recent action also builds on OFAC’s focus on casino venues across Mexico that are accused of being used by some of Mexico’s largest criminal groups to launder the proceeds of crime.
In November, the US sanctioned members of the Sinaloa Cartel-affiliated Hysa Organised Crime Group, alongside Entretenimiento Palmero, S.A. de C.V. – a casino and entertainment company owned by a member of the group.
Overall, ten casinos linked to the group were issued notices by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.
