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OFAC Sanctions People, Entities With Ties to Mexican Fentanyl Trafficking

The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned 10 people and one company involved in illegal Mexican drug trafficking, including precursor chemicals used in fentanyl. Those designated have ties to Mexico-based Sinaloa Cartel, OFAC said, and the measures follow a series of similar sanctions related to the group in recent months (see 2305090022, 2304140051 and 2301300010).

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Among those sanctioned were Mexican nationals Noel Lopez Perez and Ricardo Paez Lopez, who oversee trafficking, transportation, laboratories and enforcement for Los Chapitos, a “faction” of Sinaloa. Others include Dora Vanessa Valdez Fernandez, Nestor Isidro Perez Salas, Oscar Noe Medina Gonzalez and Jeuri Limon Elenes, who are either buyers or traffickers of the chemicals.

The agency also designated REI Compania Internacional, S.A. de C.V. -- an import/export company that “regularly” receives chemical shipments from exporters in China -- and Eliseo de Leon Becerra, an official with the company. Also sanctioned were Mexican nationals Angel Guillermo Zamudio Lerma, Daniel Zamudio Lerma and Jorge Alberto Zamudio Lerma for working for Aceros y Refacciones del Humaya, a company sanctioned in February for its involvement in illegal methamphetamine and fentanyl trade (see 2302220028).