The Treasury Department issued new sanctions against two top Mexican cartel leaders Wednesday for illegal arms trafficking, drug trafficking and a grenade attack on the U.S. Consulate in Nuevo Laredo in 2022.
Miguel Angel de Anda Ledezma and Ricardo Gonzalez Sauceda are part of Cartel del Noreste, which was designated a terrorist organization by the Trump administration earlier this year.
“In working toward the total elimination of cartels to Make America Safe Again, the Trump Administration will hold these terrorists accountable for their criminal activities and abhorrent acts of violence,” Treasury Scott Bessent released in a statement. “CDN and its leaders have carried out a violent campaign of intimidation, kidnapping, and terrorism, threatening communities on both sides of our southern border. We will continue to cut off the cartels’ ability to obtain the drugs, money, and guns that enable their violent activities.”
Border Patrol agents are praising the move.
“President Trump’s actions against the cartels fulfills the promise that he made when he stated time and time again that he would not allow the cartels to operate with impunity on our borders or within the interior of the United States. These actions deal a significant blow and serves to send the message to all cartels, as well as to those who wish to do harm to Americans, that President Trump will not just talk about it, he will follow through,” National Border Patrol Council President Paul Perez released in a statement.
“The amount of drugs, weapons and other contraband, to include the smuggling and trafficking of persons into and throughout the United States, created chaos and terror that the actions of the Trump administration is brining to an end. We fully and without hesitation support the actions taken by President Trump and his administration to take on the cartels,” he continued.