Treasury Designates Sinaloa Cartel Members Under the Kingpin Act

The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today designated two Mexican nationals and one Colombian national as Specially Designated Narcotics Traffickers (SDNTs) for providing material support to the drug trafficking activities of the Sinaloa Cartel. OFAC also today designated two Mexican companies and two Colombian companies as SDNTs. Today's action, pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act), prohibits U.S. persons from conducting financial or commercial transactions with these entities and individuals and freezes any assets the designees may have under U.S. jurisdiction.

The Sinaloa Cartel, a powerful and violent Mexican drug trafficking organization identified by the President pursuant to the Kingpin Act in April 2009, is led by Joaquin Guzman Loera (a.k.a. "El Chapo"), Ismael Zambada Garcia (a.k.a. "El Mayo"), and Ignacio Coronel Villareal (a.k.a. "Nacho"), all previously identified by the President as Significant Foreign Narcotics Traffickers pursuant to the Kingpin Act.

"Today's action builds on the President's identification of the Sinaloa Cartel in April and OFAC's commitment to working with our partners in Mexico to disrupt and deter the illicit activities of this dangerous organization," said OFAC Director Adam J. Szubin. "We will continue to aggressively track and expose those who support the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico, Colombia and elsewhere."

Mexican nationals Agustin Reyes Garza (a.k.a. "Don Pilo") and Hector Contreras Novoa were designated today due to their material support to the drug trafficking activities of the Sinaloa Cartel. Reyes Garza, a fugitive from Honduran drug trafficking charges, owns or controls two businesses identified in today's action, Estetic Carr de Occidente S.A. de C.V. and Estetica Car Wash S.A. de C.V., located in Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico. Contreras Novoa was indicted in 2005 on cocaine conspiracy charges filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Both individuals operate from Guadalajara, Mexico.

Colombian national Nestor Alonso Tarazona Enciso was designated today due to his material support to the drug trafficking activities of the Sinaloa Cartel. Tarazona Enciso owns or controls Agropecuaria La Cruz S.A. and Criadero Las Cabanas Ltda., two livestock companies registered in Bogota, Colombia that were also designated today. Tarazona Enciso was convicted on federal cocaine trafficking charges and served a prison sentence in the United States. After completing his sentence in 1995 and returning to Colombia, Tarazona Enciso once again became involved in drug trafficking activities. He operates from San Martin, Meta, Colombia.

This action is part of ongoing efforts under the Kingpin Act to apply financial measures against significant foreign narcotics traffickers worldwide. Internationally, more than 500 businesses and individuals associated with 82 drug kingpins have been designated pursuant to the Kingpin Act since June 2000, 37 of which are based in Mexico. Penalties for violations of the Kingpin Act range from civil penalties of up to $1.075 million per violation to more severe criminal penalties. Criminal penalties for corporate officers may include up to 30 years in prison and fines up to $5 million. Criminal fines for corporations may reach $10 million. Other individuals face up to 10 years in prison and fines pursuant to Title 18 of the United States Code for criminal violations of the Kingpin Act