The US Treasury Department announced a series of sanctions against 18 companies and 10 casinos, as well as several individuals, including a Sinaloa native and members of the Albanian-origin Hysa family, for laundering money for the Sinaloa Cartel, following Wednesday’s announcement by the Mexican government.
Through the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), the US government stated that it is taking action against the Hysa Organized Crime Organization and numerous gambling establishments (casinos) in various parts of Mexico.
The US government reported that it is working with Mexico to combat money laundering in the Mexican gambling sector. “Our message to all those who support the cartels is clear: You will be held accountable,” said John Hurley, Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, in a statement.
OFAC sanctioned 27 individuals and entities, while FinCEN applied special measures against 10 gambling establishments (casinos) based in Mexico that use money laundering to access the U.S. financial system.
The individuals sanctioned by OFAC as part of an Organized Crime Group are: Luftar Hysa (Luftar), Arben Hysa (Arben), Ramiz Hysa (Ramiz), Fatos Hysa (Fatos), and Fabjon Hysa (Fabjon), who, according to the Treasury Department, use their influence to make investments in various business sectors in Mexico, including casinos and restaurants.
Read: 13 Casinos Linked to Money Laundering Detected in Sinaloa and Seven Other States
As well as Gilberto López López, who, according to the document, lives in Mazatlán and was born in Culiacán on February 25, 1981. Local Coverage
Of the sanctioned companies, two are based in Sinaloa: Cocina del Porto SA de CV and El arte de cocinas y beber SA de CV, both linked to López López, who in turn is connected to the Sonora-based company Entretenimiento Palermo SA de CV, which is owned by Arben and the Albanian citizen, Eselda Baku.
The sanctioned casinos are Casino Mirage, located in Culiacán; and Casino Midas, which has three branches: one in Mazatlán, another in Los Mochis, and a third in Guamúchil. Casino Midas also operates in Rosarito, Baja California, and Agua Prieta, Sonora. The other casinos named are Emine Casino, located in San Luis Río Colorado, Sonora; Casino Palermo, located in Nogales, Sonora; and two more Casino Skampa locations, one in Ensenada and the other in Villahermosa, Tabasco.
The companies named are Bliri, S.A. de C.V., Cucina del Porto, S.A. de C.V., Diversiones Los Mochis S.A. de C.V., El Arte de Cocinas y Beber, S.A. de C.V., Entretenimiento Villahermosa, S.A. de C.V., Entretenimiento y Espectáculos B.C. S.A. de C.V., Grupo Internacional Canysamex S.A. de C.V., H Hidrocarburos S.A. de C.V., Hysa Forwarders S.A. de C.V., LH Pro-Gaming S.A. de C.V., and LH Rental S.A. C.V., Operadora Alejil, S.A. de C.V., Operadora de Empresas LH S.A. de C.V., Procesadora de Alimentos Hs S.A. de C.V., Rosetta Gaming, S.A. de C.V.
