Published on: April 15, 2026, 12:11h.
Updated on: April 15, 2026, 12:11h.
- US Treasury alleges Mexican casinos are aiding drug cartels
- Two casinos linked to cartel activities identified
- Casinos utilized for money laundering and storage of illegal drugs
On Tuesday, the United States government declared sanctions against two casinos in Mexico purportedly associated with the Cartel del Noreste (CDN), recognized as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control at the US Department of the Treasury has imposed sanctions on six entities implicated in a money laundering and cash smuggling operation allegedly orchestrated by the CDN, a successor of the former Los Zetas cartel. Among these sanctions are two casinos in Mexico labeled as affiliates of the CDN.
Casino Centenario, situated merely two miles from the US border, has been marked as a stash location for the cartel, reportedly storing fentanyl pills and cocaine while serving as a mechanism for laundering illicit funds.
Allegations suggest that the back areas of Casino Centenario are also used for “torturing and intimidating” cartel adversaries, according to a Treasury release.
Additionally, the Diamante Casino, a smaller venue tied to the CDN, has been classified by the Treasury as an online gambling platform involved in money laundering activities.
Casino-Related Cartels
The US government warns its citizens against visiting Casino Centenario or Diamante Casino, stating that US individuals are “generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions” at these establishments.
“As emphasized by President Trump, the Treasury will employ all necessary tools to safeguard our nation from violent cartels intent on spreading terror among innocent Americans,” stated Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. “The Treasury will persist in targeting the varied revenue sources that allow cartels to maintain their operations, which include the trafficking of fentanyl and unauthorized immigration into the US.”
Treasury officials assert that the two casinos are materially aiding, funding, and providing technical support to the CDN.
The CDN, primarily based in Nuevo Laredo—located along the Rio Grande opposite Laredo, Texas—engages in a range of illicit activities, including extortion, kidnapping, auto theft, drug trafficking, money laundering, and prostitution.
The CDN is recognized as one of Mexico’s most violent criminal groups, notorious for its extreme brutality.
Three Members of the Cartel Identified
The US Treasury has named three individuals reportedly operating as members of the CDN cartel. Their designation confirms their pivotal roles in bolstering CDN’s criminal influence in Tamaulipas and supporting the cartel’s extensive illegal enterprises, which encompass the trafficking of humans and fentanyl.
Eduardo Javier Islas Valdez, known as “Crosty,” along with Juan Pablo Penilla Rodriguez and Jesus Raymundo Ramos Vazquez have been identified as senior cartel figures.
According to the Treasury, Crosty oversees the cartel’s human smuggling efforts, with Rodriguez serving as his second-in-command. Ramos is reported to manage the CDN’s disinformation strategy aimed at Mexican authorities, essentially acting as a quasi-lobbyist who portrays the cartel as a reputable organization.