Overview

• On September 18, Under Secretary John K. Hurley met the Asociación de Bancos de México in Mexico City to advance joint efforts to disrupt cartel funding and curb fentanyl flows.
• Hurley told bankers the U.S. will bar Mexico‑based cartels from the U.S. financial system and flagged the Treasury’s power to sanction institutions that enable illicit finance.
• Concurrent with the meetings, OFAC designated operators linked to the Sinaloa Cartel’s La Mayiza faction, prompting Mexican measures to block listed individuals and companies.
• The engagement followed FinCEN actions against CIBanco, Intercam and Vector that led to Mexican interventions and asset sales, illustrating the compliance stakes for the sector.
• ABM signaled willingness to deepen cooperation as Hurley’s first foreign trip highlighted President Trump’s directive to use financial pressure tools against cartel networks.