U.S. slaps sanctions on Belize-based drug traffickers
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E-mail Xinhua, August 7, 2012
WASHINGTON, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- The United States on Tuesday slapped sanctions on three key figures of a Belize-based drug trafficking organization linked to the Sinaloa cartel of Mexico.
John Zabaneh, his nephew Dion Zabaneh and Daniel Moreno, a close associate of his drug trafficking group were blacklisted by the Department of Treasury, which called them "key associates" of Joaquin "Chapo" Guzman Loera, a leader of the Sinaloa cartel, and other members of the drug cartel.
Five companies in Belize that are owned or controlled by Zabaneh or Moreno were targeted as well, which are Mayan King Limited, Mid-South Investments Limited, Crown Paradise Enterprises Limited, Belize Chemicals Limited and D's Supermarket Company Limited.
The move bars U.S. citizens from doing business with them and freezes all of their assets under U.S. jurisdiction.
The Treasury said Zabaneh and his organization have been involved in narcotics trafficking since the 1980s and play a "prominent" role in drug trafficking in Central America, particularly in Belize.
In addition, they have played a role in the drug trafficking operations of "Chapo" Guzman and the Sinaloa cartel, identified by U.S. presidents as significant foreign narcotics traffickers respectively in 2001 and 2009, the agency said.
"John Zabaneh's drug trafficking activities and his organization's ties to Colombian sources of supply and Mexican buyers make him a critical figure in the narcotics trade," said Adam Szubin, director of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control.
"By designating Zabaneh, OFAC is disrupting those activities and continuing its efforts, alongside those of our law enforcement partners, to expose operatives of Chapo Guzman and the Sinaloa cartel, including their businesses," he said in a statement.
Washington is aiding Mexico and Central American nations in their fighting against drug trafficking.
Internationally, the Treasury has designated more than 1,100 entities and individuals linked to 97 drug kingpins since June 2000. Enditem
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