U.S. sanctions Mexican migrant smuggling organization

The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned a Mexican transnational criminal organization that is said Friday is responsible for smuggling thousands of migrants into the U.S. since 2018.

The group, based on the border city of Mexicali in northwestern Mexico, was led by Ofelia Hernandez Salas, also known as "La Lupe," who, alongside others, reportedly charged migrants $10,000 to $70,000 to get by U.S. border controls and smuggle them into the U.S.

Hernandez Salas, who allegedly has ties to the Sinaloa Cartel -- one of Mexico's largest and most violent drug cartels -- was arrested in March alongside Raul Saucedo Huipio for human trafficking, robbery and forgery in a joint operation by Mexican authorities, the U.S. and Interpol.

The U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) also singled out other Mexican nationals who colluded in the organization, including Jesus Gerardo Chavez Tamayo, an enforcer for the organization; Fatima Del Rocio Maldonado Lopez, who procured forged documentation and housing for migrants and Federico Hernandez Sanchez, who helped Hernandez Salas smuggle migrants.

All property and "interests in property" of the accused in the U.S. or "in the possession or control of U.S. persons" will be blocked, according to the sanctions.

In addition, any entities owned, directly or indirectly, "individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked."

Hernandez Salas, Saucedo Huipio and their associates are incarcerated in Mexico, awaiting extradition to the U.S.