• U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on Jalisco New Generation Cartel members involved in drug trafficking.
• Three individuals and two entities were targeted for their role in a fuel theft network.
• Cartel activities are linked to the flow of illicit fentanyl into the U.S. and multiple violent crimes.
• The sanctions are part of a broader U.S. effort to combat fentanyl trafficking.
• The U.S. is offering $15 million for information on the cartel's leader, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes.

The U.S. Treasury Department announced increased sanctions on the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), one of Mexico's largest crime organizations, on Thursday. The sanctions target three individuals, including cartel leader Cesar Morfin Morfin, his brothers Alvaro Noe Morfin Morfin and Remigio Morfin Morfin, along with two Mexican organizations that facilitate their fuel theft operations. This network has reportedly generated hundreds of millions of dollars, contributing to a flow of fentanyl into the United States and associated violence, according to The Hill, Los Angeles Times, and CBS News.

The CJNG is known to have around 19,000 members and has evolved into a brutally violent faction after separating from the Sinaloa cartel in 2010. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration links the group's operations to significant drug trafficking activities, including fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine. According to a statement by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the sanctions are intended to disrupt the cartel’s extensive criminal enterprises and financial support systems, emphasizing a commitment to safeguarding American lives from the dangers posed by these drugs, as reported by Los Angeles Times and CBS News.

The sanctions freeze U.S. assets belonging to the targeted individuals and entities, prohibiting American citizens from conducting any business with them. Additionally, the Biden administration has continued to focus on confronting the increasing drug crisis linked with the cartel's operations, which have been blamed for escalating overdose deaths in the United States. U.S. officials have increased their initiatives, with a reward of $15 million offered for information leading to the capture of the cartel's leader, Nemesio Rubén “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, according to The Hill, Los Angeles Times, and CBS News.

In light of these developments, Mexican authorities, under President Claudia Sheinbaum, are working to enhance regulations to improve traceability in fuel shipments, particularly amidst challenges presented by cartel activities. She stated the importance of knowing the origins and destinations of fuel shipments, indicating a systemic approach to tackle illegal fuel theft impacting the national economy, according to The Hill and CBS News.