The United States, on Monday, declared sanctions against the two fugitive sons of imprisoned Mexican Sinaloa Cartel leader, Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. In addition, a reward of up to $10 million has been offered for information that could potentially lead to the arrest or conviction of these individuals.
Reports from the U.S. Treasury Department indicate that the sanctions have been imposed on Archivaldo Ivan Guzman Salazar and Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar, who, according to reliable sources, are presently believed to be in Mexico. Sanctions were also levied against a faction of the Sinaloa cartel known as the “Chapitos,” or ‘little Chapos.’ It has been reported that this faction is a primary exporter of the potent drug, fentanyl, to the United States.
These developments follow the incarceration of Guzman’s other sons, Joaquin Guzman Lopez and Ovidio Guzman Lopez, in the United States. El Chapo himself was reputedly responsible for smuggling copious amounts of cocaine and other drugs into the United States for over 25 years, leading to his conviction on multiple conspiracy counts in 2019 and his subsequent life sentence.
“At the Department of the Treasury, we are executing on President Trump’s mandate to eliminate drug cartels and take on violent leaders like ‘El Chapo’s’ children,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement. This raises important questions about the effectiveness of these efforts and their potential impact on the Sinaloa Cartel’s operations.
Historically, the Sinaloa Cartel, through its various incarnations, is Mexico’s oldest criminal group, dating back to the 1970s. One of their most lucrative ventures in recent years has been the production and distribution of the synthetic opioid fentanyl, a drug linked to tens of thousands of overdose deaths annually in the U.S. The Trump administration, earlier this year, designated the Sinaloa cartel a foreign terrorist organization.
In conclusion, these sanctions and rewards mark a new chapter in the United States’ ongoing battle against international drug trafficking.
