Institutions concerned with sanctions risk can better prepare for the future by examining the evolution of key sanctions programs over time. This type of analysis not only provides context for ongoing actions but can help compliance professionals better understand recent trends in government targeting, anticipate possible future actions, and generally make more informed decisions when assessing risk.
Our new white paper examined all 943 Mexican entities, individuals, and organizations designated by the U.S. Department of the Treasury between 2000 and 2018 as part of sanctions programs targeting drug trafficking organizations. Key findings of the white paper include:
- The number of new Mexico designations per year declined more than 80% from 2013 to 2018.
- By a number of sanctioned entities, the Mexican drug trafficking organizations that have been targeted most heavily by the U.S. Treasury are the Sinaloa Cartel, Tijuana Cartel (Arellano Félix Organization), and Los Zetas/Gulf Cartel.
- However, new sanctions against these networks have stopped in recent years, and Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación/Los Cuinis Drug Trafficking Organization appears to be growing as a target of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
- The U.S. Treasury used a non-narcotics trafficking authority in Mexico for the first time in several decades in early 2019, designating former Nayarit governor Roberto Sandoval Castañeda for human rights violations.
The public records data used to power this research is available through Sayari Search! If you’re curious how this data could drive insights for your team, please reach out here.
