US and Mexico Sanction 55 People and Firms Tied to Jalisco Cartel
US and Mexican authorities imposed coordinated sanctions on 55 individuals and companies linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, the largest such action against the group, while separately police in Nigeria ordered officers to shoot on sight anyone carrying illegal firearms amid rising cartel and gang violence worldwide.
US and Mexico Target CJNG Financial Network
The U.S. Treasury on Thursday imposed sanctions on 39 Mexican individuals and 16 companies it alleges are linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), calling it “the largest action ever taken” against the notorious crime gang. [3] The measure targets the leadership of the cartel — designated by President Donald Trump as a foreign terrorist organization — and its illicit financing networks across Mexico. [3] The Treasury Department said in a statement that the goal of the sanctions is to limit the CJNG’s ability to traffic fentanyl and other drugs into the United States. [3] Among those sanctioned is Juan Carlos González, aka “El Pelón,” identified by U.S. authorities as the new leader of the CJNG following the February death of his stepfather, cartel founder, Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, who was killed in a federal operation. [3] The U.S. State Department has offered a reward of US $5 million for the capture of González, who holds both Mexican and U.S. citizenship. [3] Also sanctioned was the network of associates and subordinates linked to Audias Flores Silva, aka El Jardinero, who was arrested by Mexican authorities in April. [3]
Mexican Authorities Block Targeted Accounts
Shortly thereafter, Mexico’s Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF) reported it had identified “indicators related to possible operations with resources of illicit origin, including cash transactions, acquisition of high-end vehicles, jewelry and real estate,” as well as “international transfers, intensive use of credit and debit cards and transactions using virtual assets.” [3] As a result of this review, Mexico blocked the accounts of the same 55 individuals and companies sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department. [3] The UIF review found “inconsistencies” in tax records involving the accused, saying “they present characteristics of shell companies or with corporate structures of limited or no apparent economic activity.” [3] A complaint was filed with the Federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR) and the 39 individuals — as well as eight others accused of being part of the same CJNG network — were added to the UIF’s Blocked Persons List (BPL). [3] The BPL is a public report identifying individuals and legal entities involved in money laundering or terrorist financing. [3] All Mexican individuals and companies are required to immediately suspend any and all acts, operations or services with people or entities on the BPL. [3] “The coordinated actions between Mexican and U.S. authorities strengthen mechanisms of international cooperation to prevent abuse of the financial system, combat money laundering and weaken the economic structures of organized crime,” the UIF said. [3]
Nigeria Issues Shoot-on-Sight Order for Illegal Arms
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has directed police officers across the country to shoot on sight anyone found carrying illegal firearms as part of renewed efforts to tackle insecurity in the country. [2] Disu gave the directive on Friday during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Government House in Makurdi, the Benue State capital. [2] According to the IG, the order followed President Bola Tinubu’s directive that the persistent insecurity in Benue State must be brought to an end. [2] He stressed that only authorised security personnel are legally permitted to bear firearms, warning that the era of passive policing was over. [2] “You cannot move around freely carrying arms as if there is no law and order in this country. It will not be tolerated,” he said. [2] Disu disclosed that police officers had been empowered under Force Order 237 to respond decisively to armed threats without waiting for directives from superior officers. [2] The IG said, “We have given them instructions. We have a Force Order 237. Police officers have been instructed that they don’t need to wait for any superior order. They know where to deploy their firearms. We are tired of losing our men. We are tired of police officers, soldiers, and other members of the security agencies dying anyhow. They have been instructed to shoot at sight. They have been trained to do what is necessary. But we will not succeed without the cooperation of all of you.” [2] He called on residents to support security agencies with credible information, stressing that public cooperation remains critical to the fight against armed criminality. [2] Benue State has witnessed repeated attacks by armed groups in recent months, resulting in the loss of lives, the displacement of residents and the destruction of property. [2]
Lagos Union Leader Assassinated in Suspected Betrayal
The assassination of Toba Ajiboye, the Organising Secretary of the Lagos State National Union of Road Transport Workers, has reopened old wounds and revived questions about the violent underworld of motor park politics. [1] Ajiboye was ambushed on Sunday, July 12, by unidentified gunmen in the Fadeyi area of Lagos, and his vehicle riddled with bullets. [1] He later succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday, July 14. [1] A source close to the deceased said a bricklayer, identified simply as Oke, who had previously worked for the slain 43-year-old union secretary, allegedly monitored his movements and passed information to the gunmen who ambushed and killed him along the Ikorodu Road corridor. [1] “On Sunday, Toba came to see some elderly people and parked outside. The informant took pictures of the front and back of his vehicle and sent them to people waiting on the expressway. He also sent a voice note informing them that Toba was alone with his driver and would soon come out. Toba came out and even gave him N5,000, not knowing that he was there to monitor him,” the source said. [1] Detectives later arrested Oke and his wife. [1] Another individual, identified simply as Suko, and alleged to have financed parts of the operation, had fled out of Nigeria. [1]
Senator Denies Ransom Negotiation Claims
The Senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, has denied allegations that he received ransom money or acted as an intermediary between kidnappers and the government, declaring that he has never seen N1bn in cash in his life. [4] Ndume made the remarks on Friday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today. [4] The senator was responding to allegations by the President of the Borno South Youth Alliance, Samaila Kaigama, linking him to ransom negotiations involving abducted residents of Ngoshe in Borno State. [4] “I have said it already. In my life, I have never seen N1billion cash, not to talk of N5billion,” he said. [4] The lawmaker reiterated that he had no role in negotiating with terrorists or facilitating ransom payments, maintaining that his only action was to alert security agencies after Kaigama informed him about a video purportedly released by Boko Haram/ISWAP demanding a N5bn ransom. [4] Ndume said his disagreement with Kaigama began after he rejected any suggestion of negotiating with insurgents or paying ransom. [4]
Mexican Troops Reinforce Mazatlán After Cartel Violence
A contingent of 900 Mexican Army troops arrived in the early hours of Thursday at the port of Mazatlán, Sinaloa, as part of a security reinforcement in response to a series of armed attacks in recent weeks. [5] City Clerk Moisés Ríos Pérez said the newly arrived soldiers bring the total number of troops for the enhanced security operations to more than 1,300. [5] Ríos explained that the Public Security and Defense Ministries, and other authorities involved in daily security meetings, are working on accommodating the new troops before defining their operational deployment. [5] “Nine hundred arrived at midnight yesterday; we are struggling to relocate them at the moment,” Ríos told local media. [5] “But we’re hoping that with this new number we can now deploy them throughout the municipality . . . to prevent more [violence].” [5] Between July 12 and 18, local media reported Mazatlán recorded seven homicides and one femicide, in addition to a shooting and suspected explosive attack on a home. [5] On July 17 and 18 alone, six armed attacks were reported in less than 24 hours, leaving four dead and three wounded. [5] Days later, between July 22 and 23, five more people were murdered in less than a day. [5] The climate of violence stems from the conflict between factions of the Sinaloa Cartel following the arrest and extradition two years ago of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, the former leader of the criminal organization. [5]
What to watch next: Further coordinated actions between U.S. and Mexican authorities to disrupt CJNG financing networks, continued enforcement of the Nigerian shoot-on-sight directive in Benue State, and additional troop deployments in Mazatlán to address ongoing Sinaloa Cartel factional violence.
