The U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday blacklisted a Mexican national who allegedly launders money for the Los Zetas drug cartel and five money services businesses linked to him in the U.S. and Mexico Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said Filemon Garcia Ayala, 64, leads a money-laundering network "that makes large international transfers on behalf of Los Zetas." OFAC added that in June 2012, Mexican authorities sought to arrest Garcia Ayala on money laundering charges, but he fled and remains a fugitive. "By exposing another key money operation tied to Los Zetas, Treasury is depriving the Zetas of an important avenue to launder their narco-dollars," said OFAC Director Adam Szubin. "We will continue to target individuals and businesses linked to Los Zetas and take any action necessary to protect the U.S. financial system from their illicit financial dealings." Treasury blacklisted two of Garcia Ayala's companies in Mexico, Prodira Casa de Cambio S.A. de C.V.
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