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U.S. and Mexico Cooperate to Counter International Drug Traffickers
The United States is working closely with the government of Mexico to counter La Linea, a violent Mexico-based drug trafficking organization. La Linea is responsible for trafficking fentanyl and other deadly drugs into the United States.
As part of the effort to counter La Linea, the U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, worked closely with the government of Mexico, including Mexico’s Financial Intelligence Unit, to sanction five Mexican nationals and two Mexico-based entities with links to leaders and high-ranking officials within the group.
Josefa Yadira Carrasco Leyva is a senior member of La Linea who is involved in narcotics trafficking, human trafficking, and weapons smuggling.
Jorge Adrian Ortega Gallegos is a high-ranking member of La Linea. He was previously indicted by the U.S. for drug conspiracy charges.
Heber Nieto Fierro is a drug trafficker and money launderer for La Linea. He owns or controls two companies, R.y H. El Remate, Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, and Soluciones Tecnologicas y Paqueteria Tres, Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable. Both of these entities have also been designated.
Jesus Salas Aguayo is a La Linea associate who controls a plaza in Chihuahua, Mexico, for the cartel. He previously was indicted by the U.S. for drug conspiracy charges. Adrian Aguayo is another La Linea associate who controls a plaza in Chihuahua, Mexico for the cartel.
All five individuals are sanctioned pursuant to Executive Order 14059 for having engaged in, or attempted to engage in, activities or transactions that have materially contributed to, or pose a significant risk of materially contributing to, the international proliferation or production of illicit drugs.
“If La Linea continues to directly contribute to the proliferation of deadly fentanyl throughout our communities, Treasury will continue to use every tool in our arsenal to go after their criminal activity,” said Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo in a statement.
“The United States, in close coordination with our Mexican partners, remains committed to doing everything we can to hold these groups to account and to disrupt their ability to profit from and ultimately operate these criminal schemes.”