Sinaloa Cartel Network Involved in Fentanyl 'Super Labs' Sanctioned by U.S. Treasury

A Sinaloa Cartel network involved in the operations of fentanyl "super labs" was sanctioned by U.S. Treasury Department on Wednesday as part of the government's effort to stop the smuggling of fentanyl and methamphetamine into the U.S.

The Treasury has sanctioned brothers Ludim Zamudio Lerma and Luis Alfonso Zamudio Lerma, who were allegedly running the network, and four other Mexican nationals and Sinaloa Cartel members, as well as six Mexico-based companies.

According to Fox News, the sanctions reportedly block the U.S.-based assets of those sanctioned and prohibit all transactions with them by those based within or transiting the U.S.

In a statement, the Treasury noted that the department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) continued to coordinate with its U.S. government partners and foreign counterparts to "target and pursue accountability for foreign illicit drug actors."

The Treasury said the Zamudio Lerma brothers were supplying Sinaloa Cartel members with precursor chemicals used in "super labs" to create illegal drugs in large quantities for the cartel.

Sinaloa Cartel Network and Fentanyl 'Super Labs'

Andrea Gacki, director of the OFAC, said the Zamudio Lerma brothers and their network allow the production of synthetic drugs that destroy American lives while the Sinaloa Cartel leaders make a fortune.

The other sanctioned Sinaloa Cartel members include Luis Gerardo Flores Madrid, Ludim Zamudio Lerma's son Ludim Zamudio Ibarra, and two lab operators, Ernesto Machado Torres and Jose Santana Arredondo Beltran, CNN reported.

In a statement, U.S. State Secretary Antony Blinken said that the production and trafficking of illegal drugs is a global problem. In 2019, China was the primary source of illegal fentanyl in the U.S. before it changed because the Chinese implemented stricter controls on the drug trade.

Since then, Mexican drug cartels have taken the lead and sourced precursor chemicals from China and then produced the illegal drugs in Mexican labs.

The U.S. Treasury sanctions were announced after President Joe Biden vowed to impose "strong penalties" in busting fentanyl trafficking. Biden previously said that "fentanyl is killing more than 70,000 Americans a year."

Sinaloa Cartel

Last week, Mexico's security forces arrested a suspected top Sinaloa Cartel member accused of leading the region's production of fentanyl, NBC News reported.

The arrest occurred in Mexico's state of Sinaloa just days after Joe Biden visited Mexico and followed the high-profile arrest of Sinaloa Cartel leader Ovidio Guzman Lopez.

In a statement, the country's defense ministry said the accused is considered the leading producer of fentanyl and methamphetamine pills. Sinaloa Cartel was led by Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman Loera before he was arrested and extradited to the U.S.

The Sinaloa Cartel has also been involved in territory wars. The Jalisco Cartel New Generation is currently the Sinaloa Cartel's main rival. Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera is currently leading the Jalisco cartel.

The four sons of El Chapo had also assumed leadership roles in the Sinaloa Cartel after their father was arrested. El Chapo's sons, namely Ovidio Guzman Lopez, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar, and Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar, are collectively known as Los Chapitos.

The U.S. State Department has already offered $5 million rewards for any information that could help federal agents arrest El Chapo's four sons. Ovidio Guzman was already arrested in Sinaloa last month.

U.S. investigators noted that the Los Chapitos manage around 11 laboratories in their home state of Sinaloa that produce up to 5,000 pounds of methamphetamine monthly.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

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