‘La Numero 1’ is described as a restaurant, bar and cantina serving Spanish, Mexican and international cuisine; was designated by OFAC for alleged ties to a member of the Sinaloa Cartel
Over the last few decades, the United States government has dedicated part of its efforts to exposing the financial networks that assist the Sinaloa Cartel in drug trafficking and other illicit activities. This is how, between 2007 and 2014, the Treasury Department identified at least 288 companies linked to the operations of Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán and Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada; the only one of the two who continues to lead the criminal organization.
Although most of the businesses and companies discovered were based in Sinaloa, Jalisco and Baja California, many other businesses were identified in Mexico City. Such was the case of ‘La Numero 1’, a restaurant, bar and cantina serving Spanish, Mexican and international cuisine located in the Doctores neighborhood of the Cuauhtémoc mayor’s office.
Said restaurant, founded in 1994, was designated by the Treasury Department on October 13, 2010 along with 11 other entities and 16 people who were identified as having ties to Alejandro Flores Cacho, known as the leader of narcopilots of the Sinaloa Cartel.
According to the investigation carried out more than a decade ago, Flores Cacho was responsible for “a multinational drug transportation network” at the beginning of the 2000s, in close coordination with the leaders of the aforementioned criminal organization.
The US pointed out at that time that Flores Cacho’s network of financial operators included his wife, Diana Lorena Toro Díaz, and his brother, Javier Flores Cacho; the latter identified as the owner of ‘La Numero 1’.
In addition to the CDMX restaurant, the companies Grupo Cristal Corona, Luzaair, Lorena del Mar, Tates Desarrollo, JR Controladora de Restaurantes and Florbel Operadora de Restaurantes were designated that day.
Days after the Treasury Department’s announcement, José Antonio Ezeta, lawyer for the owners of the business, publicly rejected that ‘La Numero 1’ had any type of connection with drug trafficking, so days later he asked the US government for a rectification.
In an interview with the media, he assured that the restaurant was owned by another family and that the shareholders had no relationship with Alejandro Flores Cacho. He even indicated that he would make the necessary documentation available to the then Attorney General’s Office (PGR) to demarcate the business.
“We have no relationship with the people involved in that investigation,” he said.
On August 29, 2012, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) updated the database, indicating that the new location of ‘La Numero 1’ was Avenida del Taller No. 23 , Colonia Jardín Balbuena, Venustiano Carranza.
For its part, the restaurant continues to operate normally, from 12:00 to 23:00 most days of the week.
Source: Infobae
