U.S. sanctions alleged "gatekeeper" of cartel human smuggling routes

Crime U.S. sanctions cartel-linked Mexican casinos, alleged "gatekeeper" of human smuggling routes Updated on: April 15, 2026 / 6:49 AM EDT / CBS/AP Add CBS News on Google The U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday issued sanctions against three individuals and two casinos for their alleged links to Mexico's Cartel del Noreste, one of several criminal groups designated last year as terrorist organizations by the Trump administration.Washington has intensified its crackdown on the Cartel del Noreste - heir to the former Zetas - which has been accused of trafficking weapons, drugs and people, and is characterized by its violent practices and extortion. Its base is Nuevo Laredo, the busiest commercial port on the U.S.-Mexico border.Among the entities sanctioned is Casino Centenario, a gambling venue in the border city of Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, which the U.S. claims functions as a drug storage hub and a mechanism for laundering money through gambling activities.The Treasury also sanctioned Diamante Casino, headquartered in the northern city of Tampico - also in Tamaulipas - which operates an online betting site.Sanctions were also leveled against high-profile enablers, including Eduardo Javier Islas Valdez - the alleged "gatekeeper" of the cartel's human smuggling routes into Texas - and attorney Juan Pablo Penilla Rodríguez, cited for providing illicit support.Notably, the list includes activist Jesús Reymundo Ramos, whom the Treasury Department identified as a paid operative responsible for spreading cartel disinformation under the guise of human rights advocacy.The U.S. sanctions block assets the targeted people have in the United States and prohibit people from doing business with them in the U.S. Ramos did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The U.S. has sanctioned three individuals and two casinos over alleged links to Mexico's Cartel del Noreste. U.S. Treasury Department In March 2023, Ramos alleged that the Mexican army and government...