U.S. sanctions 9 Mexicans linked to powerful cartels

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned nine Mexicans linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and Los Cuinis drug trafficking organization, which were sanctioned on April 8, 2015.

The nine individuals are designated as Specially Designated Narcotics Traffickers (SDNTs) pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act) for providing material assistance to the drug trafficking activities of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes (“El Mencho”) and his brother-in-law, Abigael González Valencia, the respective leaders of the CJNG and Los Cuinis.

As a result of today’s action, any assets these individuals may have under U.S. jurisdiction are frozen, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them.

“These designations mark another significant blow to the financiers of CJNG and the Los Cuinis,” said Steve Comer, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Los Angeles Field Division. “Such efforts reflect the brilliant partnership between DEA Los Angeles and OFAC as we target two of the most prolific and violent drug trafficking organizations in the World.”

Antonio Oseguera Cervantes (Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes’ brother) and Julio Alberto Castillo Rodríguez (Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes’ son-in-law) are among the individuals designated today. Both individuals provided material support to the narcotics trafficking activities of CJNG.

Five siblings of Abigael González Valencia – Arnulfo, Edgar Eden, Elvis, Marisa Ivette, and Noemi Gonz – are designated for providing material support to the narcotics trafficking activities of Los Cuinis.

Two additional individuals, Fabián Felipe Vera López and María Teresa Quintana Navarro, are designated for supporting the trafficking activities of CJNG and Los Cuinis.