MEXICO CITY (AP) — The U.S. Treasury on Thursday announced sanctions against a criminal group operating casinos in Mexico that were allegedly used to launder drug proceeds for the Sinaloa cartel.
The announcement came one day after Mexican authorities suspended 13 casinos across the country on similar money laundering accusations. Mexico’s Treasury later confirmed that the suspended casinos were among those targeted by U.S. authorities.
“Our message to those supporting the cartels is clear: You will be held accountable,” U.S. Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John K. Hurley said in the statement Thursday. “We thank the Government of Mexico for its strong partnership in this effort.”
The sanctions target a half-dozen members of the Hysa family and more than 20 businesses including casinos and high-end restaurants.
Mexico’s Treasury announced later Thursday, that it had sanctioned five more companies it suspected of money laundering because of suspicious money movements. It said financial analysis had documented millions of dollars in suspicious transfers between Mexico, Canada, the United States, Belize, Panama, Romania, Poland and Albania.
“These actions reaffirm the commitment to international cooperation to prevent the use of the financial system for illicit ends,” Mexico’s Treasury said in a statement.
The U.S. sanctions block assets the targeted people have in the United States and prohibit people from doing business with them in the U.S.
The U.S. Treasury also proposed prohibiting financial institutions from dealing with 10 Mexican casinos located mostly in northwest Mexico, because of the money laundering risk that they pose.