The United States has taken a significant step in its fight against drug and human trafficking by imposing sanctions on the Mexican organization Malas Mañas, a satellite group of the Sinaloa Cartel operating in the state of Sonora. Along with the organization, two individuals, Luis Eduardo Román Flores and Joel Alexandro Salazar Ballesteros, have also been targeted by the sanctions.
The Treasury Department stated that Malas Mañas prioritizes profits over human life and poses a threat to the lives of immigrants and the asylum system in the United States. The organization is alleged to be involved in the trafficking of drugs such as fentanyl and methamphetamine, posing a threat to the national security of both the United States and Mexico.
The imposition of these sanctions follows the recent visit of Janet Yellen, the US Secretary of the Treasury, to Mexico. The move underscores the Biden Administration’s commitment to combatting human and drug traffickers operating along the southern border of the United States.
Malas Mañas is accused of smuggling undocumented citizens, primarily from Guatemala and El Salvador, across the border from Sonora into the United States. The organization is also known for its distinctive clothing with the initials “SQLD” (Only what you doubt), and it is reported to have members working as hitmen for the leadership of the Sinaloa Cartel.
The founder of Malas Mañas, Román Figueroa, and Sergio Valenzuela, the alleged head of the Sinaloa Cartel, were both sanctioned by the United States in September 2021. The newly sanctioned individuals, Luis Eduardo Román Flores and Joel Alexandro Salazar Ballesteros, are believed to have worked directly or indirectly for Malas Mañas.
As a result of the sanctions, the properties and assets of the affected individuals and entities in the US or under US control will be blocked. This action marks a significant effort by the US government to disrupt the operations of transnational criminal organizations and protect the lives of vulnerable individuals affected by drug and human trafficking.