The United States Treasury Department has levied sanctions against eight drug-cartel bosses who operate south of the Arizona border. The action means U.S. citizens who do any kind of business with them can face serious charges.
In a press release, the Obama Administration said the eight drug kingpins live along a 375-mile stretch of the border from Agua Prieta to Mexicali. The men are known as plaza bosses. That means they’re in control of a geographic area to coordinate, direct, and support the smuggling of drugs from Mexico into the U.S. The plaza bosses work for the Sinaloa cartel and also control the smuggling of contraband from the U.S. into Mexico, according to the press release.
“Today’s actions severely curtail the Sinaloa Cartel’s ability to use legitimate commerce to mask their illicit money laundering activities and reflect DEA’s global efforts to weaken its leadership and bring it to justice,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Doug Coleman.
The Treasury department has used the Kingpin Act to officially declare that plaza bosses are drug traffickers. American citizens who do even legitimate business with these men could face criminal charges and fines of more than a million dollars.
Three of the eight men have been arrested by Mexican authorities.
