US Sanctions Two Casinos, Individuals amid Mexican Drug Cartel Links

The US Treasury Department on Tuesday issued a new round of sanctions, naming three individuals and two casinos that are connected to the Northeast Cartel in Mexico, which has been designated a terrorist organization. 

Mexican Casinos and Individuals Sanctioned Over Cartel Links 

The cartel has been targeted by the current Trump administration, with the President seeing it as directly responsible for the opioid crisis in the United States, and seeking to strongarm Mexico into more decisive action against the criminal organizaiton.

The Northeast Cartel is largely seen to be a successor to the Zetas. Now, the department has moved against Casino Centenario, which is accused of laundering money for the cartel. 

The department has similarly issued sanctions against Diamante Casino, which is also accused of running the same operations for the cartel, with several individuals also named in the list. 

Those included Eduardo Javier Islas Valdez, Juan Pablo Penilla Rodríguez, and Jesus Reymundo Ramos, who has been leading a disinformation campaign trying to burnish the cartel’s image as a human rights organization. 

The US Has Hazarded the Idea of Bombing Cartels on Mexican Soil

The sanctions that the United States uses are a powerful tool meant to deter business operations for criminal organizations and their members, and also put pressure on legitimate businesses and individuals from having any business associations with the sanctioned entities.

The Trump administration has appeared to be far more belligerent on cartels, threatening military action against the organizations and warning that it might carry out strikes on Mexican soil to take out the cartels. 

Mexico has condemned these statements and has upheld its sovereignty and assured its bellicose neighbor that it can deal with its domestic issues on its own. 

Back in November, Mexico targeted 13 casinos and suspended their operations, connecting them to money-laundering operations for criminal organizations.