The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has imposed sanctions on three senior members and one associate of the Cartel del Noreste (CDN), a Mexico-based organization previously known as Los Zetas. CDN is designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and operates along the U.S.-Mexico border, particularly near Laredo, Texas. The cartel’s activities in Mexican cities such as Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, and Piedras Negras, Coahuila have had effects on both sides of the border.
According to OFAC, these individuals play significant roles in crimes including assassinations, beheadings, drug trafficking, extortion, and money laundering.
“Under President Trump, the Treasury Department will continue to be relentless in its effort to put America First by targeting terrorist drug cartels. These cartels poison Americans with fentanyl and conduct human smuggling operations along our southwest border,” said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. “Treasury, in close coordination with our law enforcement partners, is committed to a full-frontal assault on the cartels, targeting the leadership and revenue streams that enable their horrific crimes.”
This action was coordinated with Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It follows Executive Orders 14059 and 13224 targeting international narcotics trafficking and terrorism supporters. In May 2025, OFAC sanctioned two other CDN leaders for arms trafficking.
CDN operates mainly in Tamaulipas, Coahuila, and Nuevo Leon states in Mexico. The group has been involved for decades in trafficking various drugs—including fentanyl—and engages in human trafficking, extortion, arms trading, kidnapping for ransom and uses commercial buses for smuggling drugs into the United States. The cartel also exploits migrants through large-scale human smuggling operations across several U.S. states.
In June 2025 an operation led by Immigration and Customs Enforcement resulted in arrests at a CDN-run nightclub in South Carolina where authorities seized cash, narcotics and firearms; this venue was used for drug distribution as well as weapons- and human-trafficking activities.
Abdon Federico Rodriguez Garcia (“Cucho”) is identified as second-in-command within CDN; he has been linked to drug trafficking activities since his arrest alongside former leader Miguel Trevino Morales (“Z-40”) when CDN operated under its previous name Los Zetas.
Antonio Romero Sanchez (“Romeo”), another high-ranking member who formerly served as a police officer in Tamaulipas state before becoming a fugitive from justice is accused of leading violent acts including executions—most notably an attempted assassination against a government official earlier this year.
Francisco Daniel Esqueda Nieto (“Franky Esqueda” or “Franky de la Joya”) assumed control over tactical operations after another leader’s arrest earlier this year; he reportedly commanded attacks against military personnel during that event.
All three are being sanctioned under E.O.s 14059 and 13224 for acting on behalf of CDN.
Ricardo Hernandez Medrano (stage names El Makabelico or Comando Exclusivo) is described by OFAC as an associate whose concerts serve to launder money for CDN—with half his streaming royalties directed toward supporting cartel activity.
As part of these sanctions all property belonging to those named which falls under U.S jurisdiction must be blocked; any entity owned at least 50 percent by them will also be blocked. U.S persons are generally prohibited from conducting transactions involving these parties unless specifically authorized by OFAC regulations or licenses.
Violating these sanctions can result in civil or criminal penalties even if unintentional due to strict liability rules enforced by OFAC guidelines. Financial institutions risk exposure if they engage with designated individuals or entities; foreign banks may face secondary sanctions restricting their access to correspondent accounts within the United States if they facilitate significant transactions on behalf of those listed by OFAC.
OFAC notes that while it maintains authority to add individuals or organizations to its Specially Designated Nationals list it also provides procedures for removal consistent with applicable laws—the stated goal being behavioral change rather than punishment.
