Mexico City, Nov 19. Mexico's Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF), in conjunction with U.S. authorities, has identified and blocked 19 main targets: ten individuals and nine companies allegedly involved in financial operations linked to criminal activities.
In a statement, the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP) reported that these actions were carried out jointly by the UIF, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN).
These designations imply immediate restrictions within the U.S. financial system and serve as a basis for complementary measures in Mexico.
«They will be incorporated into the Blocked Persons List and referred to the Attorney General's Office for Operations with Illicit Proceeds (ORPI)(...) for possible tax offenses and the use of front companies,» the text specified.
The agency will also notify the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office of probable tax crimes and the use of front companies.
According to the Ministry of Finance, reports from the United States and the information cross-referenced by the UIF confirm that the organization operates through «complex structures» designed to impede the traceability of illegal money.
Among the detected mechanisms are the creation of corporations to simulate commercial operations, the acquisition of real estate through 'straw men', the management of assets through digital platforms, and the international dispersion of funds to conceal their origin.
Authorities have identified financial movements in countries such as Canada, the United States, Colombia, Italy, and the United Kingdom, as well as irregular flows in Mexico that include fund triangulation and the coordinated use of front companies.
The UIF also documented international transfers and asset operations that suggest the existence of a transnational scheme aimed at facilitating the mobility and management of illicit assets.
The Ministry of Finance highlighted that these actions reinforce cooperation with the Department of the Treasury and contribute to dismantling financial networks that sustain the operations of criminal organizations.
The agency reiterated that it will continue to strengthen intelligence and control systems to protect the integrity of the financial system and prevent money laundering.
Last week, the UIF, in coordination with U.S. authorities, also blocked financial operations and suspended the activities of companies linked to the Sinaloa Cartel after detecting an international money laundering network.
In the operation with OFAC and FinCEN, 31 individuals were identified—seven individuals and 24 companies—that had allegedly concealed and transferred illicit resources through multimillion-dollar triangulations in various countries.
