The State Department announced it is imposing visa restrictions on 75 individuals who are family members or associations with persons linked to the Sinaloa Cartel on Monday.
The growing volume of restrictions and apprehensions shows President Donald Trump’s commitment to exerting full power of the United States to dismantle narco-terrorist networks operating in the western hemisphere.
[Related: Massive DEA Crackdown Leads To Arrests Of 600 Sinaloa Cartel Members, Including 11 In Maine]
Latest restrictions target associates of individuals who are sanctioned under Executive Order 14059, imposing sanctions on individuals and groups involved in the global drug trade.
The Sinaloa Cartel, a designated foreign terrorist organization, is a primary conduit for fentanyl smuggling, the well-known substance recently designated a weapon of mass destruction by President Trump. These groups also engage in violent crime, human trafficking, kidnapping, and money laundering amongst other crimes; directly impacting U.S. communities.
[Related: Iranian National Arrested In Los Angeles For Smuggling Arms To Sudan]
Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated in a post on X, “Today, I’m taking steps to impose visa restrictions on 75 individuals who are family members or close associates of persons linked to the Sinaloa Cartel sanctioned under E.O. 14059. StateDept will continue to protect Americans from dangerous narco-terrorists and deadly drugs.”
Visa restrictions will prevent the individuals’ entry into the country, while serving as a deterrent to coordinated illicit operations. The department said these measures will draw pressure onto cartel support networks deployed beyond direct operational involvement.
