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(NewsNation) — Three high-ranking members and 1 salient subordinate of the notorious Cartel del Noreste successful Mexico person been sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, the bureau announced Wednesday.
The cartel, which was formerly known arsenic Los Zetas, is considered 1 of the astir convulsive cause trafficking organizations successful Mexico and has been designated by the Trump medication arsenic a overseas violent organization. Treasury Department officials said the cartel exerts important power implicit the U.S.-Mexico border, specifically astatine the Laredo, Texas, larboard of entry.
Abdon Frederico Rodriguez Garcia, Antonio Romero Sanchez and Francisco Daniel Esqueda Nieto are the 3 high-ranking members sanctioned by Treasury officials. Richardo Hernandez Medrano was besides sanctioned arsenic a known subordinate of the cartel, the bureau said.
The individuals played cardinal roles successful the cartel’s “horrific crimes”, including assassinations, beheadings, cause trafficking, extortion and wealth laundering, according to the agency.
“Under President Trump, the Treasury Department volition proceed to beryllium relentless successful its effort to Put America First by targeting violent cause cartels,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said successful a connection issued by the agency. “Those cartels poison Americans with fentanyl and behaviour quality trafficking operations on our southwest border.
Bessent said the agency, on with national instrumentality enforcement — including Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration — is committed to a “full-frontal assault” connected the cartels and volition people the enactment and gross streams that alteration transgression activity.
Rodriguez was identified arsenic the second-in-command successful the cartel. Known besides arsenic "Cucho", Rodriguez is alleged to beryllium progressive successful cause trafficking, wealth laundering, substance theft and extortion connected behalf of the cartel.
Rodriguez was antecedently arrested successful 2013 on with erstwhile CDN person Miguel Trevino Morales, who was besides known arsenic "Z-40" and had been a subordinate of the cartel since the radical operated arsenic Los Zetas.
Romero is considered a high-ranking subordinate and has led cartel operations successful Mexican borderline cities connected behalf of the organization, the Treasury Department said. Also known arsenic "Romeo," Romero is simply a erstwhile constabulary serviceman from Tamaulipas and has been linked to respective assassinations, beheadings and the attempted assassination of a section authorities authoritative earlier this year, officials said.
Esqueda, besides known arsenic "Franky Esqueda," took implicit the cartel's tactical operations successful Nuevo Laredo aft the apprehension of CDN leaders earlier this year.
Esqueda is liable for the battle connected a subordinate of Mexico's Army, Treasury officials said Wednesday.
Medrano, the alleged associate, is besides known by signifier names "El Makabelico" oregon "Commando Exclusivo" and is considered a notorious narco-rapper. His concerts and events are reportedly utilized to launder wealth connected behalf of the cartel, with 50% of royalties from streaming platforms going straight to the transgression organization.
The cartel’s power has affected communities connected some sides of the confederate border, specifically successful the Mexican borderline communities of Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas and Piedras Negras, Coahuila. CDN’s relation successful trafficking fentanyl and smuggling humans crossed the U.S.-Mexico borderline puts American lives astatine risk, the Treasury Department said.
