The US Treasury Department blacklisted Joaquín Guzmán López on charges of trafficking fentanyl. The son of the founder of the Sinaloa Cartel, Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, considered one of the most powerful criminal organizations in the world, was designated as a “significant drug trafficker” by the US authorities, who also sanctioned two companies linked to “Los Chapitos.”
In this regard, the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorist Affairs and Financial Intelligence, Brian Nelson, said: “The Treasury Department, in close collaboration with the government of Mexico, continues to leverage our authorities to isolate and dismantle the operations and any links to Los Chapitos and the Sinaloa Cartel.”
The Office of Foreign Assets Control(OFAC) of the US Treasury Department reported that it sanctioned Joaquín Guzmán López, son of Joaquín “Guzmán Loera, whom it identified as the fourth member of “Los Chapitos,” as well as three members of the Sinaloa Cartel and two Mexicans.
He indicated that those sanctioned today are part of a Sinaloa Cartel network overseen by “Los Chapitos” and responsible for a significant portion of the illicit trafficking of fentanyl and other deadly drugs into the United States. “Today’s action continues to disrupt key nodes of the global illicit fentanyl enterprise, including producers, suppliers, and transporters,” said Brian Nelson.
“Los Chapitos” subordinates and their companies.
OFAC said the three other individuals identified as underlings of “Los Chapitos” are:
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- Raymundo Perez Uribe leads a network of suppliers the Sinaloa Cartel uses to obtain precursor chemicals to manufacture illicit drugs.
- Saúl Páez López coordinates illicit drug shipments for his first cousins, Ovidio and Joaquín Guzmán López.
- Mario Esteban Ogazon Sedano purchases illicit precursor chemicals from Ludim Zamudio Lerma and operates illegal drug laboratories on behalf of the Sinaloa Cartel.
It also identified two companies linked to the group, also known as “Los Menores,” which are related to precursor chemicals, one of which is Sumilab, S.A. de C.V. (Sumilab), a laboratory equipment and chemical products company based in Culiacán, Sinaloa. The company was named Tuesday for its involvement in supplying and shipping precursor chemicals to members and associates of the Sinaloa Cartel.
OFAC designated the four named individuals, as well as Sumilab, under E.O. 14059 for having engaged or attempted to engage in activities or transactions that have materially contributed to, or present a significant risk of materially contributing to, the international proliferation of illicit drugs or their means of production, the U.S. official said.
In addition, OFAC designated a second company linked to the criminal group, Sinaloa-based real estate company Urbanización, Inmobiliaria y Construcción de Obras, S.A. de C.V., under E.O. 14059 as being owned, controlled, or directed by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Mario Esteban Ogazon Sedano.
While Ovidio Guzman Lopez was captured in Mexico in January of this year, Joaquin Guzman Lopez and the Guzman Salazar brothers remain at large. Through its Narcotics Reward Program, the State Department is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Joaquín Guzmán López and Ovidio Guzmán López, as well as a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Iván Archivaldo Guzmán Salazar and Jesús Alfredo Guzmán Salazar.