WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The United States took aim at drug trafficking on Tuesday as the Treasury Department imposed sanctions on leaders of one of Colombia's largest trafficking organizations and businesses in Mexico it said were owned by Sinaloa Cartel fentanyl smugglers.
A senior Treasury Department official is traveling to Colombia and Mexico this week to seek to counter money laundering, drug trafficking and the smuggling of fentanyl to the country. The trip was first reported by Reuters.
Acting Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control Lisa Palluconi's visit comes as the United States has sought to fight the fentanyl crisis, including through the imposition of sanctions.
A Treasury official said Palluconi's meetings in Mexico City will touch on the lethal narcotic, which is trafficked into the United States, often across the porous U.S.-Mexico border, and easily manufactured from chemicals sourced in China.
Fentanyl overdoses have surged to become the leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 18 and 45 and over 107,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2023.
Tuesday's sanctions, which the Treasury said were coordinated with the government of Mexico, targeted two businesses - a frozen dessert business as well as a retail pharmacy and supermarket - it said were set up by drug traffickers already under U.S. sanctions.
The Treasury said Sinaloa Cartel members frequently use the proceeds of international drug trafficking to establish businesses that can appear to operate legitimately.
Also targeted were five Colombian nationals the Treasury accused of being leaders within the Clan del Golfo, the country's largest criminal gang, in action collaborated with the Colombian National Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration.