U.S. sanctions Mexican businesses and individuals for drug trafficking links

The United States sanctioned 21 Mexican businesses and individuals on Wednesday, saying they were part of the business network of a powerful drug cartel in the country.

The 15 businesses and six people provided support and services for the Los Cuinis drug cartel, the U.S. Treasury said in a statement. The cartel was itself sanctioned by the U.S. government in April for cocaine and methamphetamine trafficking.

The businesses targeted on Wednesday include an upscale boutique hotel, two real estate firms, and a shopping center in the south-central Mexican state of Jalisco, as well as a shopping center in the southeastern state of Quintana Roo.

The individuals targeted by Treasury were all Mexican nationals with links to Los Cuinis or its leader, Gonzalez Valencia, according to a statement from the agency.