Mexican Drug Cartel Money Launderer in U.S. Gets 8 Years in Prison

By Joshua Summers First Posted: Feb 12, 2021 03:35 AM EST

Restaurant Owner from Henry County Sentenced for Money Laundering for a Mexican Drug Cartel

(Photo : Raul Sifuentes)
Painter David Ramirez of the Shipibo-Conibo community rolls a marihuana cigarette on June 24, 2020 in Lima, Peru. The community reopened 10 days ago after being isolated due to a massive number of positive cases of COVID-19 in mid May.

Mexican drug cartels are a male-dominated industry, which is also evident in films when males usually portray roles of the drug kingpin, and there is almost no sight of women. However, in real life, women also participate in the male-dominated business and participate in a crime. Recently, a 48-year-old woman was sentenced to eight years in prison after laundering money for a Mexican drug cartel.

According to Britannica, drug cartels are illicit group independent organizations formed to limit and control the competition to produce and distribute illegal drugs. It added that cartels are well-organized, well-financed, ruthless, and efficient.

Former Store Owner Laundered the Funds for a Mexican Drug Cartel

10 News reported that the former owner of Bella's Tortilla and Meat Market, situated on A.L. Philpott Highway in Henry County, utilized the business to launder about $4.5 million for the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.

According to a The Roanoke Times report, the owner of the establishment, Ana Bella Sanchez-Rios, contracted with Intermex Wire Transfer LLC and admitted that between 2016 and 2018, she used her shop to launder the drug trafficking proceeds on behalf of the Mexican drug cartel.

In a statement, the Department of Justice said Sanchez-Rios was indicted in March 2019, along with 12 members of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, on various federal drug trafficking and money laundering charges.

Sanchez-Rios has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering and operating a business that transmitted criminally derived funds in June 2020, The News and Advance reported.

She reportedly received money from people working for the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, which she knew was drug trafficking proceeds, and then wired it to people in Mexico.

Sanchez-Rios sent the wire transfers in small amounts via Intermex from Bella's Tortilla & Meat Market and used fakes names and addresses when sending the money to avoid raising suspicions.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bubar said that individuals who launder money for a drug cartel play a vital role for the organization. By concealing and transferring illegally-obtained funds, Bubar said they stimulate the drug cartel's illegal activity, according to 10 News.

Bubar added that money laundering investigations could be difficult. Thus, he said he was proud of the hard work that the federal and state law partners showed.

The Department of Justice said Sanchez-Rios was able to transfer a total of $4,394,959 in the proceeds of drug trafficking between May 10, 2016, and Sept. 11, 2018.

Authorities on Jalisco New Generation Cartel

According to Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) Washington Division, Mexican drug cartels like the Jalisco New Generation Cartel commit violence across the world and stimulate the spread of fatal drugs such as heroin and fentanyl.

In a statement, Forget said they are committed to working with their partners to shut down the area's criminal organizations by tracking their illicit proceeds.

"Today, these criminals' addiction to money and greed has met its consequence," Forget added.