27 INDIVIDUALS AND ENTITIES TARGETED FOR WASHING SINALOA CARTEL FUNDS THROUGH CASINOS
WASHINGTON / MEXICO CITY — November 12, 2025. The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Government of Mexico announced a coordinated round of sanctions targeting an alleged transnational criminal network accused of laundering millions of dollars for the Sinaloa Cartel through a chain of casinos operating on both sides of the border.
The joint action designates 27 individuals and entities under the U.S. Treasury’s Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act, freezing assets in the United States and prohibiting Americans from doing business with the group. Mexico simultaneously issued domestic sanctions mirroring the U.S. move.
According to Treasury officials, the network allegedly used casinos to obscure cash flows, disguise drug proceeds as winnings, and funnel funds through shell companies connected to cartel-aligned financial operators.
The U.S. government says the laundering ring had operations in northern Mexican states and U.S. border communities, where casinos and gaming halls were exploited to “clean” high-volume proceeds linked to fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine trafficking.
Mexico’s Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF) said the joint action represents a “new era of bilateral enforcement,” highlighting closer cooperation between Washington and Mexico City after months of rising cartel-related violence.
Treasury officials emphasized that the operation was built on shared intelligence, bank-account tracing, and on-site audits in casinos identified as high-risk venues for transnational crime.
Analysts note that the crackdown marks one of the most coordinated U.S.–Mexico financial actions in recent years, while signaling increasing pressure on the Sinaloa Cartel as U.S. agencies continue to classify it as a top-tier global narcotics threat.
Authorities in both countries say the sanctions are only the first step, with criminal cases, extradition requests, and asset-forfeiture actions expected to follow in the coming months.
