OFAC Sanctions Casino Centenario in CDN Crackdown

On April 14, 2026, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions against two Mexican casinos and several associates linked to the Cartel del Noreste (CDN).

Among the designated entities is Casino Centenario, a gaming venue based in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas. According to the Treasury Department, the casino is operated by the entity Comercializadora y Arrendadora de Mexico, S.A. De C.V. (CAMSA).

The U.S. Government alleges that Casino Centenario has been utilized by the CDN as a stash house for cocaine and fentanyl pills. The venue is identified as a vehicle for laundering illicit proceeds and integrating those funds into the legitimate economy.

These sanctions are part of a broader effort to target the financial mechanisms of the CDN, which is a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). The organization maintains significant influence along the U.S.-Mexico border, specifically near the Laredo, Texas port of entry, the busiest land port of entry on the southern border.

In total, OFAC sanctioned six targets involved in a cash smuggling and money laundering enterprise. This action includes three individuals who play central roles in advancing the CDN’s criminal dominance over the Nuevo Laredo plaza in Tamaulipas.

The illicit operations supported by these individuals and gaming entities include extortion, human smuggling, and the trafficking of fentanyl.

Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent addressed the sanctions on April 14, 2026, emphasizing the administration’s approach to dismantling cartel revenue streams.

As President Trump has made clear, Treasury will use all tools to protect our nation from violent cartels looking to reign terror on innocent Americans

Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent

Bessent further stated that the Treasury will continue to target diverse revenue streams that cartels rely on to sustain their operations, specifically those involving the trafficking of fentanyl and illegal aliens into the United States.

The sanctions were issued pursuant to Executive Order 14059, which targets the international proliferation of illicit drugs and their means of production.

The designations were the result of a coordinated investigation led by the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF). This investigation involved the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Laredo District Office and the San Antonio Division Office.

OFAC works in coordination with the HSTFs to target the proliferation of illicit drugs and the networks, enablers, and financial mechanisms that support their production and distribution.