Two leaders of the La Nueva Familia Michoacana drug cartel, indicted in 2017 for conspiring to import and distribute heroin in the U.S., are facing financial sanctions imposed by the U.S. Treasury. The fugitives, believed to be residing in Mexico, have been identified as 59-year-old Rodolfo Maldonado-Bustos, also known as Don Jose, and 51-year-old Euclides Camacho-Goicochea, also known as El Quilles.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) revealed that the charges against Maldonado-Bustos and Camacho-Goicochea include conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute heroin, conspiracy to import heroin into the U.S., and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. The indictments, returned by a grand jury in 2017, were recently unsealed.
The Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) announced financial sanctions against the two fugitives, emphasizing the collaborative effort to disrupt cartel operations and target their profits. Attorney General Merrick Garland highlighted the importance of holding cartel leaders accountable for their crimes.
The investigation into the La Nueva Familia Michoacana cartel members began in September 2016, focusing on their alleged activities of importing heroin, cocaine, and marijuana into the U.S. The probe identified Maldonado-Bustos as a high-level cartel member involved in coordinating the manufacturing and distribution of heroin in Mexico.
The DOJ alleged that Maldonado-Bustos oversaw the heroin production process, while Camacho-Goicochea coordinated the collection and transfer of drug proceeds from the U.S. back to Mexico. Agents seized over $580,000 in drug proceeds in early 2017, intended for the cartel.
Special Agent in Charge Robert J. Murphy of the Drug Enforcement Administration Atlanta Field Division emphasized the significance of disrupting cartel profits to combat drug trafficking. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen confirmed the sanctions on individuals linked to Mexican drug cartels trafficking fentanyl into the U.S., aiming to sever their financial ties and impede their operations.
The joint efforts of law enforcement agencies underscore the commitment to dismantling criminal networks and safeguarding communities from the devastating impact of drug trafficking.
