Mexico’s Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP), through the Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF), reported this Wednesday that, in coordination with the U.S. Department of the Treasury, operations were carried out to identify and go after a transnational criminal organization dedicated to drug trafficking, money laundering, and asset concealment in Mexico.
The joint action is part of bilateral efforts to curb the flow of illicit resources that fuel criminal networks worldwide.
As a result of the operation, 19 priority targets were designated, including 10 individuals and 9 companies allegedly involved in irregular financial activities.
In addition, the UIF identified 10 other individuals with suspicious financial movements in Mexico who will be added to the List of Blocked Persons and reported to the Federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR) for operations with resources of illicit origin.
Mexican and U.S. authorities confirmed that the organization operated through complex corporate structures designed to conceal the origin and destination of millions of dollars linked to transnational crimes.
Among the mechanisms detected were the simulation of commercial transactions, property acquisition through fronts, the use of digital platforms to move assets, and the international dispersion of funds to hinder financial tracking.
The case also revealed the network’s presence in Canada, the United States, Colombia, Italy, and the United Kingdom, where linked companies, international transfers, and asset movements related to illicit activities were detected.
The UIF documented irregular financial flows, resource triangulation, the use of shell companies, and financial schemes meant to obstruct the traceability of illegal funds both inside and outside the country.
Mexican authorities emphasized that these operations are part of the bilateral cooperation mechanisms established with the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN).
These efforts have made it possible to advance in dismantling financial structures used by criminal networks and prevent illicit resources from re-entering the national and international financial systems.
The SHCP noted that strengthening collaboration with the United States has been key to more effectively go after organizations that operate simultaneously in several countries and rely on sophisticated technologies and financial models.
The actions, the Ministry added, reinforce Mexico’s commitment to financial security and the fight against transnational organized crime.
Mexican Press Agency is part of ALMA, which is dedicated to news and information about Mexico and Mexicans in the United States and is a fiscally sponsored project of Social Focus, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Redwood City, California.
