Mexico's Ministry of Finance and Public Credit, working with the Security Cabinet, reported that a months-long investigation identified 13 casinos where it detected cash transactions, cross-border flows and the use of unsupervised digital platforms. Citing high financial risk, the casinos were added to the blocked legal entities list to protect users and prevent their use by suspected organized crime groups. The analysis found conduct allegedly consistent with international money-laundering typologies in establishments operating in Jalisco, Nuevo León, Sinaloa, Sonora, Baja California, the State of Mexico, Chiapas and Mexico City. Some venues reportedly handled multi-million cash movements and made transfers to destinations including the United States, Romania, Albania, Malta and Panama, while digital platforms facilitated the dispersion, concealment and reintegration of illicit funds into the Mexican and international financial system. The authorities also identified the use of individuals with economic profiles inconsistent with the amounts received—such as homemakers, students, retirees and unemployed persons—who, in exchange for a percentage, transferred the full amounts to the true owners. The Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF) will file complaints with the Office of the Attorney General (FGR) and notify the Federal Tax Attorney’s Office to follow up potential offences including money laundering, criminal association and tax-related crimes, referencing cooperation with the US Treasury’s FinCEN and OFAC in line with Financial Action Task Force recommendations.

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