Mexico’s UIF freezes 15 accounts tied to alleged money-laundering network sanctioned by the US

Mexico’s Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF) said on Tuesday it froze 15 accounts linked to possible money-laundering activity connected to the Cartel del Noreste, after US sanctions against four people and 11 companies tied to the group. For PSPs and acquirers, the important part is simple: once OFAC gets involved, local blocking measures and payment-chain disruption tend to follow.

1. The Ministry of Finance said the UIF identified relevant cash movements, domestic and international transfers, and purchases of luxury vehicles, jewelry, and real estate among some of the people and entities designated by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
2. The investigation covers a possible network of construction companies, financial services businesses, and equestrian activities. According to Hacienda, some of those entities had operations that did not match declared income, tax irregularities, and companies with little or no economic activity.
3. Hacienda said inclusion on the List of Blocked Persons is an administrative preventive measure that restricts financial operations, but does not amount to a finding of guilt. It did not specify the total amount of funds frozen.
4. The US Treasury Department ordered assets of the sanctioned parties frozen under US jurisdiction and, with limited exceptions, prohibited US citizens and companies from transacting with them. Among the sanctioned companies is Club La Molienda, a racetrack in Nuevo Laredo, near Texas, which the Treasury said generated income for the cartel through horse racing.
5. Washington also named businessman Gamaliel Garza García and his son Gamaliel Garza Elías, alleging links to construction companies and the financing of campaigns for candidates favored by the criminal organization. OFAC also included a transport company under investigation for cocaine shipments to the United States, along with gas and fuel distribution businesses.

Mexico has used the same coordination pattern before: in April, another operation targeting the same cartel led authorities to flag possible financial crimes and suspend the Centenario casinos in Nuevo Laredo and Diamante in Tampico. On 29 September, the UIF also added 46 people and companies to its blocked list after Washington named them in a separate case linked to the Cartel de Sinaloa. The Cartel del Noreste, which emerged from Los Zetas and has a strong presence in northeastern Mexico, was designated a foreign terrorist organization by the United States in February 2025.