InfoBytes Blog
OFAC sanctions Mexican cartel commander
On April 14, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act against a regional commander responsible for controlling territory belonging to a major Mexico-based drug trafficking cartel. OFAC noted that the action was taken in coordination with the State Department and DOJ, which unsealed an indictment against the sanctioned individual. Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid emphasized that the designation and indictment “show that the [DOJ], together with our law enforcement partners, will aggressively investigate and criminally prosecute the violent cartels and kingpins who import illegal drugs into our communities.” According to OFAC, this designation is the agency’s fourteenth action taken against the Mexico-based drug trafficking cartel (see previous InfoBytes coverage here). As a result of the sanctions, all property and interests in property belonging to the sanctioned individual subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. U.S. persons are also generally prohibited from engaging in any dealings involving the property or interests in property of blocked or designated persons.