Treasury Targets Cartel del Noreste’s Horse Racing Enterprise and Expansive Criminal Network

Sanctions Disrupt CDN’s Integrated Commercial Operations Supporting Violenceand Cross‑Border CorruptionWASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned four individuals and 11 entities connected to the U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) Cartel del Noreste (CDN). Those designated include individuals and businesses involved in quarter horse racing, construction, trucking, and the oil and gas sector, highlighting the cartel’s diverse commercial footprint. CDN’s evolution from its predecessor, Los Zetas—responsible for some of the deadliest mass‑casualty attacks in Mexican history—underscores the severity of CDN’s continued threat to the United States and the region.“Today’s action exposes Cartel del Noreste’s exploitation of the horse racing sector to launder illicit proceeds and finance cartel operations,” said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. “This action marks Treasury’s most significant effort to date to disrupt Cartel del Noreste’s financial infrastructure.