The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has sanctioned the Lopez Human Smuggling Organization (Lopez HSO), a transnational criminal organization based in Guatemala. This action, coordinated with partners from the U.S., Mexico, and Guatemala, aims to disrupt operations that threaten U.S. national security by smuggling migrants illegally.
“The Lopez HSO sought to smuggle thousands of migrants into the United States through an illegal transnational operation that exploited those in search of a better life for themselves and their families,” stated Brian E. Nelson, Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. “Building off our three actions against human smuggling operations just this month, Treasury, in coordination with our Mexican and Guatemalan partners and as part of our whole-of-government approach, will continue to disrupt the organizations and networks that seek to profit from these criminal activities.”
Today’s sanctions were coordinated closely with several agencies including Homeland Security Investigations’ (HSI) El Paso Field Office, the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center.
Additionally, an indictment was announced against Ronaldo Galindo Lopez Escobar (Lopez Escobar), his son Whiskey Hans Lopez Ambrosio (Lopez Ambrosio), Karen Stefany Hernandez Vanegas (Hernandez Vanegas), and five others for conspiracy to transport and harbor illegal aliens. The indictment includes a criminal forfeiture order against Lopez Escobar.
Since 2017, the Lopez HSO has been responsible for smuggling thousands from Guatemala through Mexico into the United States. Their operations spanned several states including New Mexico, Arizona, California, Texas, Virginia, among others.
In May 2023, a federal grand jury indicted members of the organization on charges related to human smuggling. Following this indictment in June 2023, six alleged human smugglers were arrested in a multistate enforcement operation.
The organization utilized fraudulent Mexican documents and paid cartel fees to facilitate migrant movement through Mexico. They also operated stash houses along the Southwest Border where migrants were housed illegally while using U.S. banks to handle payments.
OFAC sanctioned individuals pursuant to Executive Order 13581 for their involvement with Lopez HSO as significant foreign persons within a transnational criminal organization.
This sanction builds on prior actions taken by OFAC against various human smuggling organizations over recent years. Notable past sanctions include those against Abdul Karim Conteh Human Smuggling Organization on July 18, 2024; Tren de Aragua on July 11; Malas Mañas TCO on December 14, 2023; Hernandez Salas TCO on June 16, 2023; all under E.O. 13581.
As part of today’s sanctions implications: all property interests within U.S jurisdiction linked to designated persons are blocked; financial institutions engaging with sanctioned entities risk enforcement actions or sanctions themselves; penalties apply for violations under E.O., prohibiting transactions involving blocked property interests without OFAC authorization or exemption.
For information regarding removal from OFAC lists or further details about today’s designations refer here [link].
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