US imposes new Mexican cartel sanctions, cites murder of TikTok influencer
The United States has imposed sanctions against five leaders of a Mexican drug cartel for killings, including the prime suspect in the murder of Mexican influencer Valeria Marquez, and drug trafficking, the US Department of the Treasury has said.
The sanctions levied on Wednesday target the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG), which the Trump administration says is responsible for a significant share of fentanyl and other illegal drugs entering the US.
The cartel is said to use murder, including the targeted killing of women, as a weapon of intimidation against its rivals.
'The vicious attack highlights the brutal prevalence of femicide, or the killing of women on account of their gender, in Mexico. Femicide often goes unpunished and affects a significant portion of Mexico's women,' the Treasury Department said in a statement.
In February, the Trump administration designated CJNG as a 'Foreign Terrorist Organization' and 'Specially Designated Global Terrorist.'
The cartel is led by Nemesio Ruben 'El Mencho' Oseguera Cervantes, who was among the five leaders named on Wednesday. The US authorities have offered a $15m reward for information leading to his capture.
A cartel commander closely linked to him, Ricardo Ruiz Velasco, was also sanctioned.
Ruiz has been identified as the prime suspect in the murder of his purported romantic partner, TikTok influencer Marquez, the Treasury Department said.
Marquez, 23, was killed in May in the beauty salon where she worked in the city of Zapopan by a man who entered and shot her as she livestreamed a video on TikTok, the Jalisco state prosecutor said.
Other leaders sanctioned include Julio Alberto Castillo Rodriguez, Gonzalo Mendoza Gaytan and Audias Flores Silva, according to the Treasury Department statement.
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