Tag: mexico

Fentanyl Financiers: Treasury Links Mexican Banks and Chinese Networks to Cartel Money Laundering

The U.S. Department of the Treasury is stepping up its efforts to identify the ways that drug cartels move their funds. Most recently, Treasury officials identified the presence of Chinese money laundering networks that are working with Mexican drug cartels and other criminal entities to move large sums of cash.

In a series of notices from the U.S. Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, authorities warned financial institutions about the methods that criminal organizations are using to launder money. According to FinCEN, investigators reviewed 137,153 Bank Secrecy Act reports from 2020 to 2024, identifying $312 billion in suspicious transactions tied to Chinese money laundering networks.

Of significant concern to FinCEN is the apparent ties between Mexican drug cartels and Chinese money laundering groups. The report comes just weeks after FinCEN and the U.S. Treasury sanctioned two Mexican banks and one brokerage firm that they alleged had been laundering money for various drug cartels and had also been helping funnel money into China to pay for fentanyl precursors, Breitbart Texas reported at the time.

The ties between drug cartels and Chinese groups are fueled in part by currency laws in both Mexico and China, which limit the amount of U.S. dollars that can be deposited and moved in Mexico, as well as China’s control of international currency within its country. Treasury officials claim that money laundering groups from China buy U.S. dollars from drug cartels and then sell them further ahead to Chinese individuals or businesses who are trying to evade China’s cash control laws.

Keep reading

USDA BANS LIVESTOCK FROM MEXICO BUT IS YOUR “MADE IN THE USA” BEEF ACTUALLY MADE IN THE USA?

For 70 years, the United States has been fighting an invasion at our southern border, but its not the invasion of illegal immigrants we are talking about.

The United States has, for 70 years, been fighting a continuous aerial war against the New World screwworm, a parasite that eats animals alive: cow, pig, deer, dog, even human. (Its scientific name, C. hominivorax, translates to “man-eater.”) Larvae of the parasitic fly chew through flesh, transforming small nicks into big, gruesome wounds. 

The United States government, to prevent the spread of this deadly parasite, blasted flies with radiation to make them sterile and then began intensive campaign of dropping these sterile flies south of the border.

While this effort held the deadly parasite at bay for a time, the containment efforts are now failing:

But in 2022, the barrier was breached. Cases in Panama—mostly in cattle—skyrocketed from dozens a year to 1,000, despite ongoing drops of sterile flies. The parasite then began moving northward, at first slowly and then rapidly by 2024… The U.S. subsequently suspended live-cattle imports from Mexico.

Now the Trump administration is taking new efforts to stop the spread of the deadly parasite, by shutting down livestock trade across the southern border:

US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has ordered the shutdown of livestock trade through southern border ports following the detection of a new case of New World Screwworm in Veracruz, Mexico—a massive red flag that the parasite is moving north toward the United States.

Keep reading

Bipartisan bill targets nitazenes: Synthetic opioids 40 times stronger than fentanyl

A new bipartisan bill is aiming to stop the spread of nitazenes, a deadly synthetic opioid that’s 40 times stronger than fentanyl and already causing a new wave of overdose deaths.

The two lawmakers spearheading the bill, Rep. Eugene Vindman, D-Va., and Rep. Michael Baumgartner, R-Wash., both of whom took to social media to lobby for the legislation.

These drugs are the next fentanyl: cheap to make, easy to traffic, and devastating families across America,” Vindman wrote on ‘X.’ “This threat won’t wait, neither can we,” Baumgartner also posted.

While speaking with Dr. Shravani Durbhakula about nitazenes last fall, she told The National News Desk the synthetic opioids were first detected in the U.S. over five years ago. The most common form, five to nine times stronger than fentanyl. But others could be up to 40 times more potent. All are resistant to Narcan.

They were developed in the 1950s and the 1960s but they were not approved by the FDA because of how potent they actually are. They quickly make people stop breathing. Sedate them,” said Durbhakula.

This year, the U.S. is seeing a rise in nitazene overdose deaths. A map put together by the New York Post showed the areas most affected, which span from New Mexico to Virginia. Drug Enforcement Administration Houston Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Pullen recently told the Post, just as authorities in the U.S. and China increased efforts to tackle the surge in fentanyl, drug manufacturers shifted production to nitazenes.

I do think we are behind the curve. But that’s been the case with these synthetic opioids — that they shift,” Pullen said.

According to Pullen, nitazenes are produced in China, often with the help of Mexican cartels who then move north across the border. But although the federal government is making headway to tackle the threat, including President Trump’s border crackdown, more work needs to be done.

It’s very very difficult to stay ahead of it, so we’ve got to continue to step up our enforcement along the border,” said Pullen.

In addition to increased border security, the Trump administration has also hit China and Mexico with sanctions and tariffs to force foreign governments to act against illicit drug producers.

Keep reading

Another Mexican Politician Facing U.S. Federal Fraud Charges

A Mexican politician is out on bond as he faces federal fraud charges in Texas for allegations that he used COVID-era loans to buy cryptocurrency. The politician, his wife, and various other South Texas business owners are accused of obtaining fraudulent loans during the COVID-19 pandemic, which were intended to support failing businesses, but were instead used for personal gain.

Court records revealed that 46-year-old Bernando Gomez Jr. and his wife, 42-year-old Lesley Chavez, allegedly took out nearly $200,000 in Paycheck Protection Program loans during the COVID-19 pandemic and then used them for personal expenses, including buying cryptocurrency. Gomez, who lives in Edinburg, Texas, is a sitting city councilman in the Mexican City of Rio Bravo, Tamaulipas, where he serves as a close advisor to local Mayor Miguel Angel Almaraz.

Court documents indicate that Gomez and Chavez own several entertainment and service businesses, including a wedding planning service, a rental company, and a print shop.

Federal prosecutors allege that in June 2020 and May 2020, they obtained a series of government loans through the Small Business Administration aimed at helping businesses survive the COVID-19 Pandemic. The government then forgave those loans after the business owners allegedly filed documents claiming that the money had been used for legitimate purposes such as paying employees and other similar expenses. After receiving those three loans, totaling $150,000, $40,800, and $20,800, they transferred the funds to different accounts, which they then used for personal expenses and, in the case of Gomez, to purchase cryptocurrency.

After their arrests, both Gomez and Chavez went before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Scott Hacker, who set their bonds at $100,000. Both have been released as they await trial.

Gomez is currently a member of Mexico’s National Action Party (PAN), one of the major opposition parties in Mexico that has been at odds with the current ruling party, MORENA.

Keep reading

Sinaloa Cartel Operator Turned Influencer Gunned Down in Mexico

A former Sinaloa Cartel operator turned social media influencer died Saturday evening after a lone gunman barged into his home and shot him multiple times. The influencer’s murder is believed to be tied to the ongoing turf war between rival factions of the Sinaloa Cartel, which has spilled onto social media and already led to the murder of at least six influencers.

On Saturday evening, at least one gunman barged into the home of Camilo “Pollo Loco” Ochoa in the state of Morelos in Central Mexico. The gunman fired several shots, killing Ochoa instantly, El Sol de Sinaloa reported. By the time authorities responded to the scene, the gunman had fled. Investigators found Ochoa’s bullet-riddled body in his bathroom, wearing the same clothes he had worn earlier in the day during one of his livestreams.

Ochoa received various threats in the past. Earlier this year, Sinaloa Cartel gunmen had posted a photograph of Ochoa along with several other influencers who were supposed to be aligned with the Chapitos faction. At least six influencers on that list have already been killed. The murder comes at a time when the Chapitos faction has been at war for over a year with the Mayiza faction.

Keep reading

Mexico, under pressure from Trump, transfers 26 more cartel members to US

Mexico sent more than two dozen suspected cartel members to the U.S. on Tuesday, amid rising pressure from President Donald Trump on Mexico to dismantle the country’s powerful drug organizations.

Authorities shipped 26 prisoners wanted in the U.S. for ties to drug-trafficking groups, Mexico’s attorney general’s office and security ministry said in a joint statement.

The Reuters Tariff Watch newsletter is your daily guide to the latest global trade and tariff news. Sign up here.

Mexico said the U.S. Department of Justice had requested their extradition and that it would not seek the death penalty for the accused cartel members.

The transfer is the second of its kind this year. In February, Mexican authorities sent 29 alleged cartel leaders to the U.S., sparking a debate about the political and legal grounds for such a move.

That Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum permitted yet another large-scale extradition of Mexican nationals underscores the balancing act she faces as she seeks to appease Trump while also avoiding unilateral U.S. military action in Mexico.

In a statement, the U.S. Embassy said among those extradited were key figures in the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and the Sinaloa Cartel, which are Mexico’s two dominant organized crime groups.

“This transfer is yet another example of what is possible when two governments unite against violence and impunity,” U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson said in a statement. “These fugitives will now face justice in American courts, and the citizens of both our nations will be safer.”

Keep reading

Mexico rejects US forces in country

Mexico’s president said Friday that U.S. forces would not be allowed to enter her country, responding to reports that President Trump had directed the military to cross the border to fight drug cartels that have been labeled foreign terrorist groups. 

“The United States is not going to come to Mexico with the military. We cooperate, we collaborate, but there is not going to be an invasion. That is ruled out, absolutely ruled out,” Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said to The New York Times. 

“It is not part of any agreement, far from it. When it has been brought up, we have always said no.”

The New York Times reported Trump signed the directive in secret, providing a justification for potential military operations against the criminal organizations. It also reported U.S. military officials have started drawing up plans for how the military could target cartels.

Any unilateral strikes against cartels identified as terrorist groups could also raise legal issues if individuals are killed who do not pose an imminent threat or who are not part of a conflict where Congress has authorized military action.

“President Trump’s top priority is protecting the homeland, which is why he took the bold step to designate several cartels and gangs as foreign terrorist organizations,” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement to The Hill.

In May, the Trump administration offered to send U.S. troops into Mexican territory to fight the cartels. This came after Trump signed an executive order Jan. 20 designating multiple gangs, such as the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), Cartel de Sinaloa, Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación, Carteles Unidos, Cartel del Noreste, Cartel del Golfo and La Nueva Familia Michoacana as terrorist groups. 

Sheinbaum rejected the offer while affirming Mexico will collaborate with U.S. authorities in intelligence sharing. 

Keep reading

Dystopian moment prosecutor is murdered after his Cadillac Escalade was blown up at intersection in broad daylight

Terrifying video footage shows the moment a prosecutor was ambushed and killed in the Mexican border city of Reynosa on Monday.

Ernesto Vázquez was driving his black Cadillac Escalade when a gang of assassins launched their attack on him on Hidalgo Boulevard, brazenly tossing a grenade at the back of the vehicle during afternoon rush hour .

While clearly in agonizing pain, Vázquez was able to get out of the vehicle on his own and crawled across the pavement.

The assailants then pulled up in a white Ford Explorer and opened fire on the defenseless official.

Additional video footage showed prosecutor’s body on the ground as stunned motorists rode past the scene of the attack.

Moments later, a bystander was seen dragging Vázquez away from the blown-up vehicle, which was engulfed in flames.

Vázquez was a prosecutor who joined the Federal Attorney General’s Office in 2019 and was its senior representative at the Tamaulipas State Attorney General’s Office.

The assault took place just four miles from the entrance of the Reynosa-Hidalgo International Bridge that links Reynosa with Hidalgo, Texas and about one mile from the Tamaulipas State Attorney General’s Office headquarters.

Authorities recovered the Ford Explorer around 10pm just blocks away from the attack.

Tamaulipas Governor Américo Villarreal denounced the deadly assault in a statement on X.

‘From the Government of Tamaulipas, we condemn the murder of the Attorney General’s Office Delegate in the state,’ Villarreal wrote. ‘We stand in solidarity with his family and reiterate our full willingness to assist the Attorney General’s Office and the Government of Mexico in the pursuit of justice and the construction of peace.’

The Reynosa Chamber of Commerce president, Gildardo López, told El Norte newspaper that Vázquez’s murder could negatively impact trade with the United States.

‘Our city will fall into a binational trade crisis again,’ he warned.

López added that it is only a matter of time before the U.S. Embassy reveals a travel advisory warning against travel to Tamaulipas.

‘Our city will be commercially paralyzed for a potentially long period,’ he said.

Keep reading

NGO Claims Mexican Cartel Tied to Mercury Trafficking

A new report from the NGO Environment Investigation Agency (EIA) claims that Mexico’s Cartel Jalisco New Generation (CJNG) is trafficking mercury to South America for its use in gold refining. The report comes just weeks after suspected CJNG gunmen stole more than 33 tons of gold concentrate from a mining company along a highway in Jalisco.

In their report Toxic Tons: Traffickers Leave No Stone Unturned, the EIA followed the trail of mercury from central Mexico to South America, where it is used in illegal mining operations. The group claims that the use of mercury for gold mining is a significant environmental polluter, as the mineral is mixed with gold and then exposed to high temperatures during the refining process.

The report highlights a recent takeover of mercury mining operations in central Mexico by alleged members of the Cartel Jalisco New Generation and urges the Mexican government to intervene. The information points to yet one more trafficking business being tied to CJNG, which has been labelled as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. government earlier this year.

Since the terrorist designation went into effect, Mexico’s top security officials have been pushing a public relations strategy where they embellish raids and operations to give the appearance of fighting drug cartels. However, as Breitbart Texas has reported, drug bosses continue to operate throughout Mexico with almost complete impunity.

Keep reading

Leftist WA activist raises $12,000 on GoFundMe for illegal immigrant wanted for murder in Mexico

A GoFundMe campaign raised over $12,000 for an illegal migrant referred to as “Paco,” who was detained last month by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Washington state. The campaign described the illegal immigrant as a friend and a hardworking business owner. However, it has since been revealed that “Paco’s” real identity is Yussef Zarate-Barbon, a Mexican national who is wanted in his home country for homicide.

The online fundraiser, created by leftist activist Carissa Miller, was amplified in a recent news article published in The Olympian, a local newspaper that did not include Zarate-Barbon’s past. Brandi Kruse, an independent journalist and host of the “UnDivided” podcast, was the first to report on the apprehended migrant’s true identity.

The GoFundMe campaign for “Paco” has since been shut down as of Tuesday. It read at the time: “On June 24th my close friend and neighbor, Paco, was abducted by ICE,” the fundraiser read. “He was pulled over while riding passenger and removed from the vehicle without a warrant or receiving any information about why he was being detained.”

“He is currently being held in the NW detention center and still hasn’t been told why he is being held,” the fundraiser continued. “Paco is a local business owner of a mechanic shop in Lacey as well as running a small organic farm, all of this on the books. He was the ‘bread winner’ for his family who are struggling to wrap up loose ends and shut down his business in his absence.”

Keep reading