US sanctions 2 Mexican casinos over alleged ties to country’s Northeast Cartel

The United States Treasury Department announced new sanctions Tuesday targeting three individuals and two casinos accused of having connections to Mexico’s Northeast Cartel, a criminal organization the Trump administration designated last year as a terrorist group.

Federal officials have increased pressure on the Northeast Cartel, a successor to the notorious Zetas organization. The group is accused of trafficking drugs, weapons, and people, and is widely known for violent tactics and extortion. Its primary base of operations is in Nuevo Laredo, a major commercial gateway on the U.S.–Mexico border.

Among the businesses named in the sanctions is Casino Centenario in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas. U.S. authorities allege the casino has been used to store drugs and move illicit funds through gambling activities. Another targeted business is Diamante Casino, headquartered in Tampico, Tamaulipas, which operates an online betting platform.

The sanctions also target several individuals believed to have assisted the cartel. Eduardo Javier Islas Valdez was identified by officials as a key figure managing human smuggling routes that move migrants from Mexico into Texas. Authorities also sanctioned attorney Juan Pablo Penilla Rodríguez, who is accused of providing support services that benefited the criminal organization.

Included in the sanctions list is activist Jesús Reymundo Ramos. The Treasury Department described Ramos as a paid collaborator who allegedly spread cartel-linked misinformation while presenting himself as a human rights advocate.

Under the sanctions, any assets the individuals or businesses hold within the United States are frozen, and American citizens and companies are barred from conducting business with them.

Ramos did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In March 2023, he claimed that Mexican military and government officials were behind accusations linking him to the Northeast Cartel, allegations he denied. A later independent investigation found that his phone had been infiltrated with Pegasus spyware in 2020.

U.S. officials say Penilla Rodríguez previously assisted Los Zetas leader Miguel Ángel Treviño Morales, known as Z-40. Treviño Morales was extradited to the United States last year along with his brother, Omar Treviño Morales, and 27 additional associates connected to the organization.

In August, two other individuals and Mexican rapper Ricardo Hernández Medrano, who performs under the name El Makabelico and is associated with the group Comando Exclusivo, were also sanctioned for alleged links to the same criminal network.