Crypto Money Trail Binds Sinaloa Cartel

The U.S. Treasury has added two groups tied to the Sinaloa Cartel to its sanctions list after a joint operation by Homeland Security and the DEA. The move underscores the Treasury’s commitment to disrupting drug money flows that use cryptocurrency.

Key Targets

• Armando de Jesús Ojeda Aviles – Allegedly converted cash into digital coins, then routed them to the cartel.
• Jesús Alonso Aispuro Félix – Sanctioned for moving drug proceeds through the blockchain.

Ethereum Addresses

Six addresses were flagged:

• Five have been inactive for years.
• One address, last active in late April, transferred almost $900 worth of USDT (a U.S. dollar‑tied stablecoin).

Legal Framework

The sanctions are backed by two executive orders aimed at:

1. Halting illicit drug production.
2. Combating terrorism.

Impact

The Treasury highlighted the Sinaloa Cartel as a foreign terrorist organization responsible for much of the fentanyl entering America, which causes thousands of deaths annually.