US Treasury sanctions 4 people and 11 entities tied to Cartel del Noreste
The US Treasury sanctioned four individuals and 11 entities it says form a business network financing Mexico's Cartel del Noreste, notably through horse racing, trucking, construction and fuel.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2On Tuesday 13 October 2026 the US Treasury Department sanctioned four individuals and 11 entities tied to the Cartel del Noreste (CDN), a Mexican criminal group. Anadolu AgencyN “designated four individuals and 11 entities linked to the US-designated foreign terrorist organization” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ The Straits TimesRC “The US Treasury Department on Tuesday sanctioned four people and 11 entities tied to the Cartel del Noreste (CDN)” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Mixed · 2The designations were made by Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control and target a network of front companies in energy, construction, trucking, municipal contracting, the fuel market and horse racing. Anadolu AgencyN “targeting front companies across energy, construction, and horse racing industries” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ The Straits TimesRC “a business network spanning horse racing, construction, trucking and the energy sector” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Mixed · 2Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the action exposes the cartel's exploitation of horse racing to launder illicit proceeds and finance its operations, and called it the department's most significant effort to date against CDN's financial infrastructure. Anadolu AgencyN “"most significant effort to date to disrupt Cartel del Noreste’s financial infrastructure."” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ The Straits TimesRC “highlighting the cartel's persistence in using horse racing to launder money” Read at The Straits Times ↗
Right · 1Those designated include Pablo Cesar Guajardo Alvarez, alias "Takia", the accused CDN plaza boss in Nuevo Laredo and a former leader of the cartel's sicarios, and Nuevo Laredo businessman Gamaliel Garza Garcia, who is involved in horse racing in the US and Mexico, along with his son. The Straits TimesRC “Pablo Cesar Guajardo Alvarez, alias "Takia," the accused CDN plaza boss in Nuevo Laredo and a former leader of the cartel's sicarios.”“Nuevo Laredo businessman Gamaliel Garza Garcia, involved in horse racing in both the US and Mexico, and his son were sanctioned” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Right · 1Sanctioned companies include a quarter-horse racing stable, construction firms, fuel and gas businesses, Club La Molienda (a racetrack, restaurant and bar in Tamaulipas that Treasury says CDN controls) and the Nuevo Laredo trucking company Tamex, which was targeted after authorities seized two cocaine shipments totalling 52 kg hidden in trailer brake drums linked to it. The Straits TimesRC “Club La Molienda, a horse racetrack, restaurant and bar in Mexico's Tamaulipas state, that Treasury said is controlled by CDN”“Tamex, a Nuevo Laredo-based trucking company, was sanctioned after authorities seized two cocaine shipments totaling 52 kg hidden in trailer brake drums” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Right · 1Treasury said cartel-linked front companies spent $16 million on US quarter-horse racing operations and laundered more than $22 million between 2008 and 2012, leading to the seizure of 455 horses. The Straits TimesRC “cartel-linked front companies spent $16 million on US quarter-horse racing operations and laundered more than $22 million between 2008 and 2012, leading to the seizure of 455 horses” Read at The Straits Times ↗
Centre · 1Officials noted that the cartel operates directly across from Laredo, Texas, a crossing handling nearly 40% of bilateral trade, and warned that it enables operatives to infiltrate local governments, steer public contracts and manipulate regional elections. Anadolu AgencyN “enabling operatives to "infiltrate local governments, steer public contracts, and manipulate regional elections."” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Mixed · 2CDN is a successor to Los Zetas, which Treasury described as responsible for some of the deadliest mass-casualty attacks in Mexican history; it was founded by brothers Miguel Angel and Oscar Omar Trevino Morales, who were transferred to the US in 2025 to face drug trafficking, racketeering and money-laundering charges. Anadolu AgencyN “responsible for some of the deadliest mass‑casualty attacks in Mexican history” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ The Straits TimesRC “founded by brothers Miguel Angel and Oscar Omar Trevino Morales, who were transferred to the US in 2025” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Right · 1Reuters added that US officials have raised concerns about cartel-linked horse smuggling across the border, and that it reported last month that trafficked horses continue to move through illegal crossings also used for drugs and migrants. The Straits TimesRC “Reuters reported last month that trafficked horses, which are often destined for racing in the US, continue moving through illegal crossing routes also used for drugs and migrants.” Read at The Straits Times ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Short agency report centred on the Treasury announcement and its official rhetoric, with emphasis on the border and security stakes.
- Emphasis
- Laredo's role in trade and the warning about infiltration of local governments and elections; Bessent's quote.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Names of those sanctioned, the Tamex seizure, and dollar figures on horse-racing laundering.
- Charged language
- “commercial web”“exposes criminal exploitation”
- For example
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“Treasury exposes criminal exploitation of American quarter horse racing and fuel sectors across border” — Anadolu Agency
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Reuters wire copy carried by the Straits Times, presented as a detailed bullet list of who and what was sanctioned.
- Emphasis
- Named individuals, specific companies, the cocaine seizure, laundering figures and horse-smuggling context.
- Leaves out or plays down
- The Laredo trade and election-infiltration warning reported by Anadolu.
- For example
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“Treasury said cartel-linked front companies spent $16 million on US quarter-horse racing operations and laundered more than $22 million between 2008 and 2012” — The Straits Times
What every side reports
- Treasury sanctioned four individuals and 11 entities tied to Cartel del Noreste on 13 October 2026.
- The network spans horse racing, construction, trucking and fuel/energy businesses.
- Scott Bessent called it the largest/most significant action yet against CDN's finances.
- CDN is a successor to Los Zetas.
US Department of the Treasury organisation
Presents the action as exposing CDN's use of horse racing to launder money and as its largest effort so far against the cartel's financial infrastructure.
“Today’s action exposes Cartel del Noreste’s exploitation of the horse racing sector to launder illicit proceeds and finance cartel operations” — Anadolu Agency
Cartel del Noreste organisation
No response from the cartel is reported; Treasury describes it as a designated foreign terrorist organization and Los Zetas successor running front companies.
“the US-designated foreign terrorist organization” — Anadolu Agency
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre1 article
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US sanctions 4 individuals, 11 entities tied to Mexican cartel's commercial web
Neutral Brief report relaying Treasury's claims and Bessent's quote, stressing border security stakes.
Right1 article
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The Straits TimesRC · · via Reuters
US sanctions Mexican cartel CDN's horse-racing, business network
Neutral Reuters wire copy giving a factual, detail-heavy list of designees and Treasury's figures.
- 13 Oct 16:44 First Anadolu AgencyN US sanctions 4 individuals, 11 entities tied to Mexican cartel's commercial web
- 13 Oct 19:10 +2h 26m The Straits TimesRC US sanctions Mexican cartel CDN's horse-racing, business network via Reuters
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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