The United States Department of the Treasury issued warrants identifying three Mexican financial institutions for allegedly laundering money for drug cartels from the sale of opioids.
The banks identified were CIBanco S.A., Institución de Banca Múltiple (CIBanco), Intercam Banco S.A., Institución de Banca Múltiple (Intercam), and Vector Casa de Bolsa, S.A. de C.V.
These are the first warrants issued by FinCEN in relation to the Fentanyl Sanctions Act and the FEND Off Fentanyl Act, which the US uses to combat money associated with the trafficking of fentanyl and other synthetic drugs.
According to the Treasury Department, the banks and the brokerage firm are allegedly facilitating payments for the acquisition of chemical precursors used for fentanyl production.
According to the United States, CIBanco is identified as having a pattern of associations, transactions, and provision of financial services that facilitate illicit drug trafficking by three Mexican criminal organizations: the Gulf Cartel, the Beltrán Leyva Cartel, and the Jalisco New Generation (CJNG).
