The U.S. Treasury Department announced Thursday that it had imposed sanctions on eight Mexican drug cartel leaders. press release.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen Fox News Anchorman Neil Cavuto reported that the individuals are linked to the La Nueva Familia Michoacana cartel and are involved in drug and human trafficking across the southern border. According to the State Department, the group smuggles fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine into the United States.
“Wouldn’t a complete closure of the border be a better solution?”
“La Nueva Familia Michoacana is one of Mexico’s most powerful and violent cartels and has become a top priority for the Mexican government in recent years,” a Treasury Department press release said.
In addition to the sanctions, the department also issued an advisory “highlighting important new information that can help U.S. banks and other financial institutions prepare for activity related to the illicit fentanyl supply chain.”
“The advisory includes emerging trends and red flags that may be indicators of activity related to the procurement of precursor chemicals and manufacturing equipment used to synthesize illicit fentanyl and other synthetic opioids,” the press release added.
Yellen issued a statement saying the opioid crisis caused by the cartels has “devastated communities and claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans.”
“President Biden and I are committed to using all our tools to target illicit fentanyl and its precursors and disrupt these deadly supply chains,” Yellen said. “The Treasury Department has the unique capabilities and expertise to target the financial streams of these cartels that are poisoning our communities, and going after them is a top priority for me and the Treasury Department.”
In a Thursday interview with Fox News anchor Cavuto, he questioned Yellen about the Biden administration’s border-opening crisis.
“Would a better solution, and maybe that’s what the secretary is doing here, be to completely close the border?” Cavuto asked. “Just close it down. That’s what Donald Trump wants to do. What do you think?”
Yellen avoided giving a direct answer In response to a question, he said, “Well, you know, my concern today is about fentanyl trafficking, drug trafficking. I’d like to put it this way…”
Cavuto interrupted Yellen to ask whether closing the southern border would address concerns about drug trafficking.
“Well, the most impactful tool we have is to install advanced drug detection equipment. What President Biden has done is not to completely close the border,” Yellen responded.
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