Tamaulipas, Mexico;
Jalisco, Mexico;
Mexico City, Mexico;
Colima, Mexico
Reg. ID
MOMC871231HCMRRS00, C.U.R.P.
Function
Drug cartel/Mafia
Official reason
Building upon OFAC’s prior action, today OFAC designated another CJNG leader profiting from fuel theft, Cesar Morfin Morfin (a.k.a. Primito). Primito is the CJNG cell leader for Tamaulipas, Mexico. Primito previously led a faction of the sanctioned Cartel del Golfo and transformed it into a CJNG faction due to his close association with sanctioned CJNG leader Ruben Oseguera Cervantes (a.k.a. “El Mencho”). Primito is involved in the transportation, importation, and distribution of narcotics, including fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana, into the United States. He has also been known to import fentanyl and methamphetamine precursor chemicals sourced from China. Primito’s luxurious lifestyle has included ownership of exotic animals and dozens of luxury vehicles. Recently, Primito and his network have refocused their criminal enterprise around stolen fuel-related activities, specifically the smuggling of crude oil into the United States given its high profit margins. Primito acquires stolen crude from various sources, including co-opted Pemex employees and other CJNG members. Given his control over port of entry bridges between the Tamaulipas and Texas border regions, Primito also charges fees to any trucks moving crude into the United States via these routes. His subordinates and associates assist him in falsifying official customs documents to aid in the cross-border smuggling of stolen crude oil. Additionally, Primito’s subordinates operate front companies on his behalf, some of which are used to sell stolen fuel to retail gas stations. In addition to Primito, OFAC also designated two of his family members and business associates, who are linked to CJNG fuel theft.
On June 6, 2003, OFAC issued the Global Terrorism Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 594 (68 FR 34196, June 6, 2003 (“the Regulations”), to implement Executive Order (E.O.) 13224 of September 23, 2001, “Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions With Persons Who Commit, Threaten To Commit, or Support Terrorism” (66 FR 49079, September 25, 2001). OFAC has amended the Regulations on several occasions.
On September 9, 2019, the President, invoking the authority of, inter alia, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701–1706) (IEEPA) and the United Nations Participation Act (22 U.S.C. 287c) (UNPA), issued E.O. 13886, “Modernizing Sanctions To Combat Terrorism” (84 FR 48041, September 12, 2019), effective September 10, 2019. In E.O. 13886, the President, finding it necessary to consolidate and enhance sanctions to combat acts of terrorism and threats of terrorism by foreign terrorists, terminated the national emergency declared in E.O. 12947 of January 23, 1995, “Prohibiting Transactions With Terrorists Who Threaten To Disrupt the Middle East Peace Process” (60 FR 5079, January 25, 1995), and revoked E.O. 12947, as amended by E.O. 13099 of August 20, 1998, “Prohibiting Transactions With Terrorists Who Threaten To Disrupt the Middle East Peace Process” (63 FR 45167, August 25, 1998). In addition, the President amended E.O. 13224, in order to build upon initial steps taken in E.O. 12947, to further strengthen and consolidate sanctions to combat the continuing threat posed by international terrorism, and in order to take additional steps to deal with the national emergency declared in E.O. 13224, with respect to the continuing and immediate threat of grave acts of terrorism and threats of terrorism committed by foreign terrorists, which include acts of terrorism that threaten the Middle East peace process.
Section 1 of E.O. 13886 replaces in its entirety section 1 of E.O. 13224, which had been amended by a number of prior Executive orders (E.O. 13224, as amended by all such authorities, is referred to herein as “amended E.O. 13224”), but does not amend the Annex to E.O. 13224, which was previously amended by E.O. 13268 of July 2, 2002, “Termination of Emergency With Respect to the Taliban and Amendment of Executive Order 13224 of September 23, 2001” (67 FR 44751, July 3, 2002) (“amended Annex to E.O. 13224”).
