Full Breakdown
Trump Administration Sanctions Los Mayos Faction of Sinaloa Cartel
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Sanctions Overview
The U.S. Treasury Department announced a sweeping sanctions package aimed at dismantling the Los Mayos faction of the Sinaloa cartel. The measures target 21 individuals and 25 entities accused of funneling fentanyl, laundering drug money, and corrupting officials in Baja California and Southern California. The sanctions block access to the U.S. financial system, freeze assets under U.S. jurisdiction, and prohibit U.S. persons from conducting transactions with the designated parties.
Alleged Network and Key Figures
At the center of the crackdown is Ismael Zambada Sicairos, known as “Mayito Flaco,” a dual U.S.–Mexican citizen born in Anaheim, California, described by the Treasury as the “undisputed head” of Los Mayos. The Treasury alleges that Mayito Flaco commands drug trafficking, murder, extortion, corruption and kidnapping operations. Other sanctioned individuals include Fernando Sicairos Aispuro (formerly identified as Ismael Zambada Sicairos), Luis Alfonso Torres Torres (brother of former Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda’s ex-husband), and former Mexicali Public Security Director Pedro Ariel Mendivil Garcia for accepting bribes. Companies such as Servicios Hoteleros Gastelum, Galerías Centro Cambiario, Capital Privado Bursátil, Videovigilancia Colabirativa and Holistic Wellwaves are also listed for providing financial or material support.
Official Statements & Responses
Brig. Gen. Maurizio Calabrese, director of the Joint Interagency Task Force-Counter Cartel, highlighted the role of inter-agency intelligence in identifying the network.
Data & Statistics
- 21 individuals sanctioned
- 25 entities sanctioned
- Nearly 50 total people and companies designated by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)
- Rewards exceeding €10 million offered for information leading to Mayito Flaco’s capture
Verbatim Quotes
- “These sanctions reflect the impact of sustained interagency collaboration and intelligence fusion in identifying and disrupting the networks that enable violent transnational cartels,” — Brig. Gen. Maurizio Calabrese, director of JIATF-Counter Cartel
- “Today’s action underscores that no cartel kingpin, corrupt Mexican government official, or financial facilitator is beyond the reach of Treasury’s authorities,” — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent