U.S. slaps sanctions against Sinaloa Cartel fentanyl network
FILE PHOTO: Packets of fentanyl mostly in powder form and methamphetamine, which U.S. Customs and Border Protection say they seized from a truck crossing into Arizona from Mexico, is on display during a news conference at the Port of Nogales, Arizona, U.S
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on 10 Mexican nationals and one company in the country for their alleged involvement in the Sinaloa Cartel’s fentanyl trafficking network, its latest effort to stem imports of the drug.
The 10 people sanctioned are allegedly linked to accused suppliers of precursor chemicals used to make fentanyl, which has been attributed to a sharp uptick in U.S. overdose deaths.
The sanctioned list includes Noel Lopez Perez, the brother of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman’s second wife, and Ricardo Paez Lopez, a cousin to the youngest of El Chapo’s sons.
The sons, known as “Los Chapitos,” are accused of leading a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel after their father’s capture. The fourth son, Ovidio Guzman Lopez, was captured in Mexico earlier this year.
The U.S. Treasury also sanctioned an import-export company, REI Compania Internacional, and its majority shareholder for allegedly receiving chemical shipments from China.
The Biden administration has been seeking increased cooperation from Mexico and China in stemming the flow of fentanyl and its precursor chemicals.
