US Treasury Sanctions Members of Mexican Cartel ‘Los Zetas,’ Including Rapper El Makabelico

The cartel is allegedly involved in criminal activities including murder, beheading, drug trafficking, extortion, and money laundering.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent testifies before a House Ways and Means Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on June 11, 2025. Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters

The U.S. Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on Aug. 6 against three high-ranking members and a prominent associate of the Mexican Cartel del Noreste, known as “Los Zetas,” based in Mexico.

The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced in a statement that it has sanctioned four key individuals linked to the Cartel del Noreste (CDN).