Top U.S. Treasury Official to Visit Mexico as Trump Admin Targets Cartel Financial Networks

Following the recent visit of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, another top U.S. official is scheduled to travel to Mexico to meet with officials and discuss strategies for combating organized crime.

On Sept. 17, the Department of the Treasury confirmed that John K. Hurley, under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, will travel to Mexico City on Thursday. There, he is expected to meet with government officials and industry representatives to coordinate efforts against illicit financing, drug trafficking and cartel operations, in line with the Trump administration's approach to dismantling transnational criminal organizations.

According to the department's statement, this will be Hurley's first international trip since his confirmation on July 23. At the time, Hurley said he aimed to advance the Trump administration's national security and economic goals by protecting the U.S. financial system from "abuse by terrorists, drug traffickers, cybercriminals, and other illicit actors."

His visit comes amid intensified U.S. efforts to dismantle Mexico-based drug cartels and reduce the flow of deadly fentanyl into the United States, key issues also raised by Rubio during his meeting with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.

"He appreciates the strong cooperation of the Government of Mexico and intends to emphasize that the Treasury Department will not permit Mexico-based drug cartels to access the U.S. financial system," the statement said.

Before arriving in Mexico City, Hurley will visit the U.S.-Mexico border in San Diego, where he is scheduled to meet with law enforcement and officials from the Department of Justice, where he will discuss how the Treasury can continue to support efforts to dismantle criminal organizations that President Trump designated as terrorist groups in February.

Hurley's visit comes less than three months after the Treasury sanctioned three Mexican financial institutions accused of laundering millions of dollars for drug cartels.

CIBanco, Intercam Banco and the brokerage firm Vector Casa de Bolsa were named by U.S. authorities for their alleged involvement in laundering cartel funds and facilitating payments for chemicals used to produce fentanyl.

"Financial facilitators like CIBanco, Intercam and Vector are enabling the poisoning of countless Americans by moving money on behalf of cartels, making them vital cogs in the fentanyl supply chain," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement.

According to the Treasury, CIBanco and Intercam helped route funds through two unnamed U.S. financial institutions, while Vector sent money to another unidentified American bank.

CIBanco was accused of laundering funds for several criminal groups, including the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), the Beltrán Leyva Organization and the Gulf Cartel. The bank is accused of handling more than $2.1 million in payments for fentanyl-making chemicals shipped from China.

For its part, Vector was accused of laundering money for the Sinaloa and Gulf cartels, including more than $1 million in fentanyl-related transactions. Treasury officials also allege that the Sinaloa Cartel used Vector to send more than $40 million in bribes to former Mexican Security Secretary Genaro García Luna, who was sentenced last year to over 38 years in prison for corruption linked to organized crime.

Intercam was similarly accused of facilitating $1.5 million in payments for fentanyl precursor chemicals.

When announcing Hurley's upcoming visit, the Treasury reaffirmed that the U.S. "will not permit Mexico-based drug cartels to access the U.S. financial system."