US treasury sanctions 2 senior leaders of Mexico’s deadly Cartel del Noreste

The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has announced sanctions against two high-ranking members of Cartel del Noreste (CDN), a Mexico-based criminal organization known for its extreme violence and widespread involvement in drug, arms, and human trafficking.

The sanctioned individuals, Miguel Angel de Anda Ledezma and Ricardo Gonzalez Sauceda, played key operational roles within CDN, which has been formally designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) by the US Department of State.

CDN, formerly known as Los Zetas, controls territory across the northern Mexican states of Tamaulipas, Coahuila, and Nuevo Leon, with a strong presence in the Laredo/Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas border area. The cartel has been linked to narcotics smuggling, arms trafficking, extortion, kidnapping, and even attacks against US government facilities.

The sanctions were imposed under Executive Orders 14059 and 13224, which target global drug traffickers and terrorist organizations, respectively. The action was part of a coordinated effort with US agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Mexico’s Financial Intelligence Unit (Unidad de Inteligencia Financiera).

“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,” said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. “CDN and its leaders have carried out a violent campaign of intimidation, kidnapping, and terrorism, threatening communities on both sides of our southern border.”

Miguel Angel de Anda Ledezma, based in Nuevo Laredo, is a senior figure in CDN’s arms procurement operations. According to OFAC, De Anda coordinated payments to arms traffickers and straw purchasers in the US to illegally acquire firearms, some of which have been traced to violent attacks against Mexican military personnel.

Ricardo Gonzalez Sauceda, who served as CDN’s second-in-command until his arrest in February 2025, oversaw a heavily armed enforcement unit within the organization. Authorities say Gonzalez was behind multiple attacks against Mexican law enforcement and military units. At the time of his arrest, he was found in possession of assault weapons, methamphetamine, and thousands of fentanyl pills.

The cartel has a long record of terrorist-style violence, including a March 2022 attack on the US Consulate in Nuevo Laredo following the arrest of a CDN member. The assault, involving grenades and gunfire, forced the consulate to close for nearly a month. The act was seen as a brazen attempt to intimidate US diplomats and disrupt international cooperation against organized crime.

Before its designation as an FTO earlier this year, CDN had already been labeled a major drug trafficking organization and transnational criminal organization by US authorities.

The sanctions freeze all US-based assets of the two individuals and prohibit American citizens and entities from conducting transactions with them. Any businesses or entities owned 50 percent or more by the designated individuals are also subject to blocking. In addition to direct sanctions, OFAC warned of secondary sanctions for any foreign financial institutions or individuals that facilitate significant transactions on behalf of CDN or its leaders.  Violations of these sanctions may result in civil or criminal penalties under US law. OFAC also updated its Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) List to reflect CDN’s current name, ensuring consistency across government records and enforcement efforts.