The U.S. Treasury Department recently announced sanctions on two Mexican businesses, an ice cream chain, and a local pharmacy, for their alleged involvement in using proceeds from fentanyl trafficking to fund operations linked to the Sinaloa cartel. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) identified individuals previously cited for money laundering who had established a chain of ice cream and popsicle shops in Sinaloa, as well as another individual who set up a pharmacy and convenience store in Sonora.
The Sinaloa cartel, known for using earnings from drug trafficking to establish legitimate businesses, has been implicated in various money laundering activities, including investing in fraudulent timeshare operations and restaurants. The U.S. Treasury Department emphasized the commitment of President Biden and Vice President Harris to combat cartels involved in drug trafficking, particularly those responsible for distributing fentanyl and other deadly drugs.
The sanctions were imposed following a surge in cartel violence in Sinaloa, where at least 30 people were reported dead. The Sinaloa cartel plays a significant role in fentanyl trafficking into the U.S., sourcing precursor chemicals from China and India to produce the synthetic opioid. This illicit trade results in approximately 70,000 overdose deaths annually in the United States.
The sanctioned individuals, Jesús Norberto Larrañaga Herrera and Karla Gabriela Lizárraga Sánchez, were involved in establishing the 'Nieves y Paletas' ice cream chain in the capital using drug proceeds. Additionally, the retail pharmacy and convenience store in Sonora were linked to drug trafficker José Arnoldo Morgan Huerta, known as 'Chachio,' whose brother oversees drug trafficking in Nogales.
The U.S. Treasury Department highlighted that the sanctions are part of a comprehensive effort to address the global threat posed by illicit drug trafficking, which has devastating consequences on American communities. President Biden's proposals to combat the drug epidemic include legislative measures to regulate pill press and tableting machines, as well as enhanced penalties for convicted drug smugglers and fentanyl traffickers.
For more news on Latin America and the Caribbean, visit AP's coverage.
