Mexico Trucker Online

MEXICO CITY — The U.S. government revealed Thursday the names of six Mexican businesses it contends are fronts for a godfather-type figure in this country’s drug cartel underworld. The businesses are said to be owned by Ismael Zambada García, for whom the U.S. government is offering a reward of up to $5 million.

Finances for the companies are handled by a network of at least 12 people — including Zambada’s children and ex-wife — in order to launder and hide the proceeds from drug trafficking, U.S. officials contend.

“Zambada García is one of Mexico’s most powerful drug kingpins and a fugitive from justice,” said Adam Szubin, director of the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.

“Today’s action further exposes the network of front companies and financial associates that Zambada García uses to hide and launder his drug monies and cuts them off from the U.S. financial system,” he said.

While the U.S. government took steps to seize any assets in the United States that are linked to the companies, the Treasury Department wouldn’t say if any money was frozen or property taken.

The largest of the companies is a dairy with a brand name of Santa Monica. It has branches in four states and about 1,400 employees, according to the Treasury Department.

Santa Monica officials declined to comment.

Other businesses linked to Zambada include a trucking company, a construction company and a cattle company — all based in the vicinity of Zambada’s home turf of Culiacán, Sinaloa.

As a result of the U.S. government designating the businesses as having a link to Zambada Garcia, the so-called Kingpin Act comes into play.

It prohibits American citizens and companies from transactions with Zambada’s companies. Corporate officers who violate the act could face up to 30 years in prison and $5 million fines.

Mike Vigil, a retired Drug Enforcement Administration agent who served as chief of international operations, said Zambada is a major player.

Zambada taught Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, his better-known partner in the Sinaloa Cartel, much of what he knows about drug smuggling and organized crime, Vigil said.

“He was truly a mentor for Chapo and actually a mentor for a lot of drug traffickers,” Vigil said of Zambada. “He is very astute and probably one of the more intelligent drug traffickers ever spawned by Mexico.”

Zambada perhaps was the first to divide his underworld business into departments, such as money laundering, security, transportation and smuggling, Vigil said.

Karen Tandy, head of the DEA, said drug traffickers can’t hide behind front companies.

“We are working with (Treasury) to expose these traffickers’ front companies for what they really are — not legitimate businesses, but cash cows that fuel the drug trade, its violence and corruption,” she said.