On November 7, 2023, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control designated 13 members of the Sinaloa Cartel, including several fugitives as well as 4 Mexico-based entities that they own or control. According to OFAC, the Sinaloa Cartel is one of the most powerful and pervasive drug trafficking organizations in the world, and the designees are responsible for trafficking a substantial amount of fentanyl and other deadly drugs into the US. These designations coincide with the 7th North American Drug Dialogue in Washington, DC, an event hosted by the White House that enables authorities from the US, Mexico and Canada to discuss the progress of their ongoing collaborative efforts to confront illicit financial activities connected with the manufacture and trafficking of illicit drugs, including fentanyl.
OFAC designated these individuals and entities pursuant to Executive Order 14059, which targets those who engage in activities or transactions that contribute to the international proliferation of illicit drugs or their means of production. As a result of these designations, all property and interests in property of the designees within the United States or within the possession or control of a US person are blocked, and US persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions involving the designated persons unless authorized by OFAC. US persons may also face civil or criminal penalties for violating EO 14059.
Department of Treasury Press Release | OFAC Chart – Sinaloa Cartel