WASHINGTON, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- The United States acted Wednesday to make financial dealings with a drug cartel leader known as "Chino Anthrax" illegal and to freeze his assets.
The U.S. Treasury Department took the action against Jose Rodrigo Arechiga Gamboa, also known as "Chino Anthrax," a top level leader in the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico, and head of Los Anthrax, described in a department statement as "an extremely violent arm of the Ismael 'Mayo' Zambada Garcia organization" involved in international drug trafficking.
The department's designation prohibits U.S. citizens from conducting financial or commercial transactions with Arechiga Gamboa, and freezes his assets under U.S. jurisdiction.
Arechiga Gamboa was indicted by a federal grand jury Dec. 20 on multiple counts of narcotics trafficking and was arrested by Dutch authorities 10 days later when he arrived at Amsterdam's airport.
The United States is seeking his extradition, the statement said.
Arechiga Gamboa "represents the next generation of hyper-violent drug traffickers," said Adam Szubin, director of the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control. "In today's designation, OFAC is broadcasting to Zambada and his associates that the United States is off-limits to their illicit funds."
