The operation was conducted in conjunction with the DEA. Almost 2,000 accounts were blocked.
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexico’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) managed to block nearly 2,000 bank accounts allegedly linked to the mighty New Generation Jalisco Cartel (CJNG). Another sharp blow against the criminal organization after its second-in-command was extradited to the United States in February.
CJNG, which is involved in drug and weapons trafficking among other criminal activities, is considered one of the most dangerous criminal groups in Mexico and the most prolific in the world, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
It was all part of “Operation Blue Agave,” and according to the Treasury Department, the investigations dragged on for several weeks. But the block of accounts was achieved between June 1 and 2.
“The operation is the result of the joint work carried out by the institutions that make up the Security Cabinet … for several months,” said the FIU, an office that depends on the Treasury Department, in a statement.
The FIU said it managed to freeze 1,770 bank accounts of individuals, 167 of companies, and two trusts linked to CJNG. The FIU did not reveal the amount of the accounts frozen but said it analyzed thousands of unusual transactions.
“The FIU worked in a coordinated manner with the DEA in defining the objectives of the operation. It was possible to locate a large number of members of the criminal group, as well as its largest financial operators and companies used in money laundering,” he detailed.
The operation was carried out after 2,571 irregular activities were detected for a total of 2,951 million pesos. Besides, there was a report of relevant events for more than 11,478 million pesos that generated 8,424 reports for 7,216 million pesos.
The operations were conducted mainly in Jalisco, Mexico City, Michoacan, State of Mexico, Baja California, Guanajuato, Nuevo Leon, Veracruz, Nayarit, Sinaloa, Queretaro and Colima.
