U.S. Sanctions La Linea Cartel Leaders and Affiliates to Combat Fentanyl Smuggling

The United States has imposed sanctions on senior members of La Linea, a violent faction of the Juarez Cartel, along with two companies linked to the group, in an effort to curb the flow of fentanyl that continues to fuel America’s opioid crisis. These sanctions will sever La Linea and its affiliates from the U.S. dollar-based financial system and freeze any assets they hold in the U.S. or at U.S.-based financial institutions.

This action is part of a broader strategy aimed at disrupting fentanyl trafficking networks. Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo addressed the decision, warning that, “If La Linea continues to directly contribute to the proliferation of deadly fentanyl throughout our communities, [the] Treasury will continue to use every tool in our arsenal to go after their criminal activity.”

Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, remains the leading cause of drug-related deaths in the U.S., with overdose fatalities rising more than sevenfold between 2015 and 2021. While this year has seen a slight decrease in overdose deaths, the crisis persists. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, the bulk of fentanyl and its precursors originate from Mexico and China, with China supplying nearly all the essential chemicals used in production.

Notorious for violence, La Linea and the Juarez Cartel have long held a brutal reputation. In July 2022, a North Dakota judge ordered La Linea to pay $4.6 billion to the families of nine U.S. citizens killed in a 2019 ambush in northern Mexico, underlining the ongoing legal and enforcement efforts against the group.

The Biden administration has ramped up its focus on fentanyl trafficking, pursuing charges and targeting the supply chain, including Chinese chemical suppliers. In December 2023, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen launched the Counter-Fentanyl Strike Force, combining Treasury and IRS resources to combat international trafficking. Additionally, President Joe Biden signed the bipartisan FEND Off Fentanyl Act, formally declaring international fentanyl trafficking a national emergency.

Over the last two years, the Treasury has sanctioned more than 350 individuals and entities involved in drug trafficking. These actions have included high-profile members of Mexican cartels such as Jalisco New Generation and La Nueva Familia Michoacana, further underscoring the administration’s intensified stance against fentanyl distribution networks.

By fLEXI tEAM