The sanctioning of El Chapo’s son by the US Department of Treasury for his involvement in trafficking fentanyl and other deadly drugs into the United States has been confirmed. According to the United States Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, Joaquín Guzmán López is closely associated with his three brothers and oversees the operations of the Los Chapitos network. This network is part of their father’s Sinaloa Cartel, which gained prominence after his arrest and extradition to the United States.
Joaquín Guzmán López is alleged to manage the ‘super labs’ of the Los Chapitos network, which are supplied by the Zamudio Lerna siblings, based in Sinaloa. The sanctions imposed by the Department of Treasury require the blocking and reporting of all property controlled by U.S. citizens and prohibit any dealings with those who have been sanctioned.
The Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Brian Nelson, emphasized the disruptive impact of these actions on the global illicit fentanyl enterprise. Joaquín Guzmán López has been indicted on federal drug trafficking charges, and the United States Department of State is offering a $5 million reward for information leading to his arrest and/or conviction. Similar rewards are also being offered for Ivan Guzmán Salazar and Jesús Guzmán Salazar.
The sanctions also extend to other individuals and entities allegedly linked to the Sinaloa Cartel, including Raymundo Pérez, Saul Paez, Mario Ogazon, Sumilab, S.A., de C.V., and a real estate company. The indictment accuses Los Chapitos of flooding the streets of the United States with fentanyl, resulting in numerous American deaths. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has identified Los Chapitos as suppliers of fentanyl to 27 cities across the United States.
The article also mentions a denial from the individuals associated with Los Chapitos regarding their involvement in fentanyl trafficking. Ovidio Guzmán López, another member of the network, is currently in a Mexico City prison, resisting extradition to the United States. These sanctions represent ongoing efforts to disrupt and isolate criminal operations associated with the Sinaloa Cartel.
