The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has imposed sanctions on five individuals linked to the Gulf Cartel, a notorious criminal organization in Mexico. The individuals are associated with illegal activities, including unreported and unregulated fishing, human smuggling, and drug trafficking in the Gulf of Mexico.
Acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Bradley T. Smith commented on the matter, stating: “Today’s action highlights how transnational criminal organizations like the Gulf Cartel rely on a variety of illicit schemes like IUU fishing to fund their operations, along with narcotics trafficking and human smuggling.”
The sanctions were implemented through collaboration with various agencies such as the U.S. Coast Guard, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Coordination also involved Mexico’s Financial Intelligence Unit.
Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing poses significant threats to maritime security and is often intertwined with other criminal activities. It has been identified as a critical issue affecting ocean health and contributing to global overfishing problems.
The Gulf Cartel operates extensively within Tamaulipas State in Mexico and has been involved in arms trafficking, drug smuggling, and migrant movements into the United States. OFAC had previously designated this cartel under Executive Order 14059 for its involvement in international drug proliferation.
Particularly notable is the cartel’s use of “lancha” operations for illicit trade involving red snapper and shark species from Playa Bagdad. These boats cross into U.S. waters due to stricter fishing limits there before returning their catch to Mexican camps for sale or exportation.
Key figures sanctioned include Ismael Guerra Salinas (Mayelo), Omar Guerra Salinas (Samorano), Francisco Javier Sierra Angulo (El Borrado), Raul Decuir Garcia (La Burra), and Ildelfonso Carrillo Sapien (El Chivo). They are charged with managing or facilitating various illicit activities for or on behalf of the Gulf Cartel.
As a result of these sanctions, all properties belonging to these individuals within U.S. jurisdiction are blocked. Transactions involving them are prohibited unless specifically authorized by OFAC. Violations can lead to civil or criminal penalties under U.S. law.
OFAC emphasizes that its sanctions aim not at punishment but at promoting behavioral change among designated entities.
For further details about those sanctioned today or procedures regarding removal from OFAC lists, additional resources are available online.
