US sanctions Mexican migrant smuggling organization

By Jorge Antonio Rocha

MEXICO CITY (AA) - The US Treasury Department sanctioned a Mexican transnational criminal organization that is said Friday is responsible for smuggling thousands of migrants into the US since 2018.

The group, based on the border city of Mexicali in northwestern Mexico, was led by Ofelia Hernandez Salas, also known as "La Lupe," who, alongside others, reportedly charged migrants $10,000 to $70,000 to get by US border controls and smuggle them into the US.

Hernandez Salas, who allegedly has ties to the Sinaloa Cartel -- one of Mexico's largest and most violent drug cartels -- was arrested in March alongside Raul Saucedo Huipio for human trafficking, robbery and forgery in a joint operation by Mexican authorities, the US and Interpol.

The US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) also singled out other Mexican nationals who colluded in the organization, including Jesus Gerardo Chavez Tamayo, an enforcer for the organization; Fatima Del Rocio Maldonado Lopez, who procured forged documentation and housing for migrants and Federico Hernandez Sanchez, who helped Hernandez Salas smuggle migrants.

All property and "interests in property" of the accused in the US or "in the possession or control of US persons" will be blocked, according to the sanctions.

In addition, any entities owned, directly or indirectly, "individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked."

Hernandez Salas, Saucedo Huipio and their associates are incarcerated in Mexico, awaiting extradition to the US.