Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Tuesday announced that the Trump administration placed sanctions on four individuals tied to La Nueva Familia Michoacana (LNFM), a Mexican cartel linked to fentanyl and human trafficking.
“Today’s action underscores our commitment to intensify the pressure on violent drug cartels like LNFM, who continue to traffic deadly fentanyl and other drugs, smuggle illegal aliens over our Southwest border, and attack law enforcement,” Bessent said in a written statement. “The Trump Administration will continue to use all available tools to target the cartels and other violent organizations that attempt to exploit our communities and harm Americans.”
A federal grand jury in the Northern District of Georgia is also unsealing the indictments of the cartel’s co-leaders, and the State Department will offer rewards for information leading to their arrest and/or conviction. LNFM has been designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.
The LNFM cartel originated in 2011 in Mexico; the cartel produces synthetic drugs and are a concern to the United States because of the threat they pose to avocado exports from the Mexican state of Michoacan, according to the Associated Press (AP).
“LNFM is the successor of the La Familia Michoacana, a violent transnational organization based in the Pacific coast state of Michoacan with operations in the Mexican states Guerrero, Morelos, and Mexico. In addition to drug trafficking, kidnapping, and extortion, LNFM attacks government officials and uses violence, including drone attacks and explosives, to exert its criminal control and terrorize communities,” the State Department wrote in February when it designated LNFM, among many other cartels, as foreign terrorist organizations and specially designated global terrorists.
“Terrorist designations expose and isolate entities and individuals, denying them access to the U.S. financial system and the resources they need to carry out attacks. As a result of actions taken today, all property and interests in property of those designated today that are in the United States or that are in possession or control of a U.S. person are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them. Moreover, designations can assist law enforcement actions of other U.S. agencies and governments,” the State Department continued.
Sean Moran is a policy reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on X @SeanMoran3.
