https://www.latintimes.com/sinaloa-cartel-operatives-sanctioned-us-laundering-tens-millions-fentanyl-trafficking-579717

The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced new sanctions against people linked to the Sinaloa cartel as well as companies accused of laundering money for the criminal organization.

Concretely, the Treasury Department said the six individuals and seven companies listed used a "network of front companies and shell corporations" to launder money by using currency exchange businesses along the U.S.-Mexico border. The sanctions are part of an ongoing investigation by U.S. and Mexican government agencies targeting the cartel's financial operations.

"Laundered drug money is the lifeblood of the Sinaloa Cartel's narco-terrorist enterprise, only made possible through trusted financial facilitators like those we have designated today," said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, adding that the government will use "all available tools to target anyone who assists the cartels in furthering their campaign of crime and violence."

Among those listed as money launderers are Enrique Dann Esparragoza Rosas, Alan Viramontes Sesteaga, Salvador Diaz Rodriguez and Israel Daniel Paez Vargas.

According to the U.S. Treasury, Esparragoza operates an organization that transfers illicit narcotics proceeds from the U.S. to Mexico using "a currency arbitrage scheme," trading dollars for Mexican pesos at currency exchange businesses between Imperial County, California, and Mexicali, Baja California. His clients include both Sinaloa cartel factions currently battling for control of the cartel: "Los Chapitos," led by the sons of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán and also for "La Mayiza," the cell loyal to Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada.

According to information shared by the U.S. Treasury, Esparragoza's organization had laundered at least $16.5 million for Sinaloa cartel clients as of April 2023.

The sanctions also included individuals that laundered proceeds of fentanyl sales. Alberto David Benguiat Jimenez was among those sanctioned. He is accused of operating a money laundering network moving illicit narcotics proceeds from the U.S. into Mexico. One of his closest associates, Christian Noe Amador Valenzuela, was also sanctioned.

Benguiat's network has laundered over $50 million to date by using front companies and shell corporations to obscure the origins of the money it moved from the United States.

As a result of the sanctions, all property and interests in property of the designated persons in the U.S. or under U.S. control are blocked. U.S. persons are also prohibited from engaging in transactions involving these individuals, with potential civil or criminal penalties for violations.