Treasury Department sanctions Malas Mañas organization over human smuggling, drugs trafficking

In response to a report by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned the Malas Mañas transnational criminal organization (TCO) over its human smuggling and drug trafficking at the southwest border.

The action was taken in coordination with the government of Mexico, as a way to crackdown on the organization’s fentanyl and methamphetamine operations, and its smuggling operations that have endangered migrant lives.

“The Department of Homeland Security continues to relentlessly pursue transnational criminal organizations. Through whole-of-government efforts targeting cartels and smugglers like the Malas Mañas, we are disrupting the illicit financial networks of criminals who profit off of vulnerable migrants and devastate our communities with fentanyl and other dangerous narcotics,” Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said.

HSI and OFAC worked together to sanction specific members of Malas Mañas leadership and the organization at large, to restrict their access to illicit proceeds from their crimes. This, they hope, will cut off some resources to cartels and hamper efforts to expand distribution. La Unidad de Inteligencia Financiera (UIF), Mexico’s Financial Intelligence Unit, coordinated the action alongside its U.S. counterparts.