Today, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Giovanni Vicente Mosquera Serrano (Mosquera Serrano), a fugitive leader of Tren de Aragua (TdA) who is involved in the organization’s drug trafficking and financial operations. TdA is a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) of Venezuelan origin that has launched a campaign of terror throughout the Western Hemisphere, including in the United States, and continues to expand. TdA is involved in illicit drug trade, human smuggling and trafficking, extortion, sexual exploitation of women and children, and money laundering, among other criminal activities. Today’s action is the result of collaboration with Treasury’s government counterparts. It complements the addition of Mosquera Serrano to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)’s Ten Most Wanted list. In addition, the DOJ announced the unsealing of an indictment that charges Mosquera Serrano with drug trafficking and terrorism-related criminal activity. Finally, the Department of State, through the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program managed by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, is offering a reward of up to $3 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Mosquera Serrano. Giovanni Vicente Mosquera Serrano (Mosquera Serrano) is a notorious member of Tren de Aragua who has overseen narcotics trafficking efforts and murders on behalf of the gang in Colombia. Mosquera Serrano has additionally been responsible for extortion efforts on Tren de Aragua’s behalf and has managed the financial proceeds of the gang’s criminal activities. Today, OFAC is sanctioning Mosquera Serrano pursuant to E.O. 13581, as amended, and pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Tren de Aragua. E.O. 13224, as amended, targets terrorist groups and their supporters.
Transnational Criminal Organizations Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 590;
Executive Order 13581 of July 24, 2011 Blocking Property of Transnational Criminal Organizations
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Official Information
On January 12, 2012, OFAC issued the Transnational Criminal Organizations Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 590 (77 FR 1864, January 12, 2012) (the “Regulations”), to implement Executive Order (E.O.) 13581 of July 24, 2011, “Blocking Property of Transnational Criminal Organizations” (76 FR 44757, July 27, 2011), pursuant to authorities delegated to the Secretary of the Treasury in E.O. 13581. The Regulations were initially issued in abbreviated form for the purpose of providing immediate guidance to the public. OFAC amended the Regulations on July 23, 2019 (84 FR 35307, July 23, 2019) to implement E.O. 13863 of March 15, 2019, “Taking Additional Steps to Address the National Emergency With Respect to Significant Transnational Criminal Organizations” (84 FR 10255, March 19, 2019), which amended E.O. 13581. OFAC is amending and reissuing the Regulations as a more comprehensive set of regulations that includes additional interpretive guidance and definitions, general licenses, and other regulatory provisions that will provide further guidance to the public. Due to the number of regulatory sections being updated or added, OFAC is reissuing the Regulations in their entirety.
E.O. 13581 On July 24, 2011, the President, invoking the authority of, inter alia, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), issued E.O. 13581. In E.O. 13581, the President found that the activities of significant transnational criminal organizations, such as those listed in the Annex to E.O. 13581, have reached such scope and gravity that they threaten the stability of international political and economic systems. The President further found that such organizations are becoming increasingly sophisticated and dangerous to the United States; they are increasingly entrenched in the operations of foreign governments and the international financial system, thereby weakening democratic institutions, degrading the rule of law, and undermining economic markets. The President stated these organizations facilitate and aggravate violent civil conflicts and increasingly facilitate the activities of other dangerous persons. The President determined that the activities of significant transnational criminal organizations constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States and declared a national emergency to deal with that threat.
