US Sanctions Target Mexican Oil Smuggling, Fentanyl Network

The United States has imposed sanctions on key networks involved in the smuggling of oil, petrochemicals, and fentanyl, targeting both Mexican and Iranian operations. Recent actions focus on Mexican transportation companies and individuals linked to the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), which is responsible for significant fentanyl trafficking, fuel theft, and crude oil smuggling across the U.S.-Mexico border, generating hundreds of millions of dollars annually for the cartel. The U.S. has also designated CJNG as a foreign terrorist organization and is offering a reward for information on its leader. In parallel, the U.S. has announced wide-ranging sanctions on companies and vessels facilitating Iran’s illicit petroleum trade, seeking to drive the country’s oil exports to zero and disrupt funding for groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. These measures target entities in the UAE, Turkey, and Iran that have helped move nearly $500 million in Iranian oil and petrochemicals, aiming to cripple Tehran’s ability to fund destabilizing activities in the region. Both sanction campaigns reflect ongoing efforts to combat international criminal and terrorist networks profiting from illicit trade.