U.S. imposes sanctions on Mexican man for money laundering on Los Zetas’ behalf

Washington, United States (4E) – The United States Department of the Treasury on Tuesday imposed sanctions on a Mexican man named Filemon Garcia Ayala along with two of his companies for leading a money-laundering network that involves “large international transfers” on behalf of Mexican drug cartel Los Zetas.

The authorities in Mexico had charged Ayala over money laundering in June last year and had been seeking him for arrest. However, he has been on the run since then, the U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement.

The U.S. also blacklisted five of his companies, including Prodira Casa de Cambio S.A. de C.V. and Trastreva S.A. de C.V that are situated in Zacatecas, Mexico and three in the U.S.

The department added it targeted Arizona, Colorado, Iowa and Texas-incorporated Prodira, Inc. and Texas-incorporated Prodira S.A. de C.V. and Internacional & Nacional Exchange Services Inc. for Ayala’s interest in them.

“By exposing another key money operation tied to Los Zetas, Treasury is depriving the Zetas of an important avenue to launder their narco-dollars,” said Adam Szubin, director of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.

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