The U.S. Department of the Treasury outed and sanctioned a human smuggling organization based in Cancun that focused on moving the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and South America. The organization used yachts to move thousands of migrants into Mexico, from where it would work with other groups to get them to California.
In a recent action, the U.S. Treasury Department announced that it was targeting Vikrant Bhardwaj, a dual Mexican-Indian national, and the Cancun-based organization bearing his name. Treasury officials claim that Bhardwaj worked with various criminal organizations to move thousands of migrants through Mexico into the United States, as well as moving drugs and laundering money. While the U.S. Treasury did not mention a specific cartel, law enforcement sources revealed to Breitbart Texas that Bhardwaj worked primarily with the Sinaloa Cartel. U.S. authorities claim that Bhardwaj owns several marinas in Mexico and is the CEO of several companies in Mexico, India, and the United Arab Emirates, some of which were used to launder illicit proceeds.
Treasury officials also sanctioned Jose German Valadez Flores, a Mexican businessman and alleged drug trafficker who worked closely with Bhardwaj and was in charge of bringing migrants into Cancun by bribing corrupt Mexican law enforcement officials.
U.S. authorities also sanctioned Jorge Alejandro Mendoza Villegas, who they identify as a former police officer in the state of Quintana Roo. Authorities claim that through Mendoza, the Bhardwaj organization had access to the airport in Cancun to smuggle migrants and drugs.
U.S. Treasury also sanctioned Bhardwaj’s wife, Indu Rani, also a dual Mexican Indian national, who played an alleged role in helping launder money and is listed as a shareholder in several of his companies.
Treasury officials sanctioned eight companies in Mexico, India, and the UAE that are owned or managed by Bhardwaj. The companies included marinas, yachting companies, construction companies, real estate companies, textile companies, and energy and fuel trading companies, among other businesses.
The sanctions imposed by the U.S. Treasury block any assets and accounts that the individuals may have in the United States and forbid any U.S. citizen or company from doing business with them.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart News Foundation. He co-founded the Breitbart News Foundation’s Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at [email protected].
Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart News Foundation’s Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at [email protected].
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