The U.S. Treasury Department issued sanctions Tuesday against three individuals and two casinos allegedly linked to Mexico's Cartel del Noreste, targeting the group's infrastructure for drug trafficking, human smuggling and money laundering operations along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Background
Cartel del Noreste (CDN) serves as the heir organization to the former Zetas paramilitary group. The Trump administration designated CDN and several other criminal organizations as terrorist entities in 2024, marking a significant shift in U.S. counter-narcotics policy.
Based in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas — the busiest commercial port on the U.S.-Mexico border — CDN has been accused of trafficking weapons, drugs and people across the frontier. The cartel is characterized by its violent practices, including kidnapping, extortion and targeted killings of individuals who threaten their operations.
According to the Treasury Department, CDN has waged what it describes as a "campaign of terror on the border," using violence to control drug trafficking and human smuggling routes, bribe politicians and journalists, and extort local businesses. The cartel traffics fentanyl, crystal meth, heroin and cocaine.
The Investigation
The sanctions target Casino Centenario in Nuevo Laredo, which the U.S. claims functions as a drug storage hub and mechanism for laundering money through gambling activities. Also sanctioned is Diamante Casino in Tampico, which operates an online betting platform.
Among the individuals sanctioned is Eduardo Javier Islas Valdez, identified by U.S. authorities as the alleged "gatekeeper" of CDN's human smuggling routes into Texas. Attorney Juan Pablo Penilla Rodríguez was also sanctioned for providing what authorities describe as illicit support to the cartel.
The Treasury also targeted activist Jesús Reymundo Ramos, identified as a paid operative responsible for spreading cartel disinformation under the guise of human rights advocacy. An independent investigation confirmed Ramos's phone was compromised by Pegasus spyware in 2020.
According to U.S. authorities, Penilla Rodríguez assisted Miguel Ángel Treviño Morales (alias Z-40), a former leader of Los Zetas who was extradited to the U.S. last year along with his brother Omar Treviño Morales and 27 other individuals.
Key Takeaways
- Cartel del Noreste was designated as a terrorist organization by the Trump administration in 2024
- Casino Centenario in Nuevo Laredo allegedly serves as a drug storage and money laundering hub
- Eduardo Javier Islands Valdez is identified as the "gatekeeper" of CDN's human smuggling routes into Texas
- Activist Jesús Reymundo Ramos allegedly spread cartel disinformation as a paid operative
- Two high-ranking CDN members were sentenced in November 2024 for roles in a human smuggling conspiracy
- The sanctions block assets and prohibit U.S. transactions with designated individuals and entities
What's Next
The sanctions freeze any assets the designated individuals hold in the United States and prohibit Americans from conducting business with them. State Department officials indicated the U.S. will continue coordinating with Mexico to "degrade and dismantle" narco-terrorist organizations operating along the border.