On Tuesday, the United States Department of the Treasury revealed an illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing network led by members of the Gulf Cartel (GCC) in Bagdad Beach, located approximately 40 kilometers away from the center of Matamoros, Tamaulipas.
Through a statement, the country of the stars and stripes reported that the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated five Mexican citizens, who are accused of carrying out criminal activities on behalf of or for the aforementioned criminal organization.
Omar Guerra Salinas, ‘El Samorano’
Francisco Javier Sierra Angulo, ‘El Borrado’
Raúl Decuir García, ‘La Burra’
Ildelfonso Carrillo Sapien, ‘El Chivo’
Each and every one of them was linked to the GCC, although for different reasons.
For example, according to the Treasury Department, ‘El Mayelo’ and ‘El Samorano’ are in charge of supervising illegal fishing at Bagdad Beach, also known as Costa Azul Beach.
With the alleged support of ‘La Burra’ and ‘El Chivo’, who are accused of owning a boat camp on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, the Guerra Salinas brothers lead a network fishing for red snapper and sharks.
“As red snapper and shark fishing is subject to strict limits in the United States, and therefore these species are more abundant in American waters, Mexican fishermen cross into American waters to fish through these boats.
They then bring their catch to boat camps in Mexico, where the product is ultimately sold and often exported to the United States. This activity generates millions a year for the boat camps. In addition, it also causes the death of other marine species that are inadvertently captured,” the US accused.
Human trafficking
According to the US agency, the blue and clean beaches of Playa Bagdad are not only used by the Gulf Cartel for illegal fishing.
The small town that had less than 100 inhabitants in 2020 – according to the INEGI Census – and which is a vacation attraction in the hot season has also become an important point for drug and migrant trafficking.
“In addition to their use for illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in US waters, the boats are also used to transport illicit drugs and migrants to the United States. (…) ‘El Mayelo’ has also facilitated human trafficking through these boats, in which individuals are kept hidden to transport them across the Rio Grande,” the agency reported.
For these acts, ‘El Mayelo’, ‘El Samorano’, ‘El Borrado’, ‘La Burra’ and ‘El Chivo’ are being sanctioned pursuant to EO 14059 for being owned, controlled or directed by, or for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Gulf Cartel.
Source: infobae
