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August 28, 2008
HP-1119 Treasury Targets Rising Colombian Narcotics Traffickers Washington, DC--The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today designated two Colombian individuals, Jesus Maria Alejandro Sanchez Jimenez and Rafael Angel Sanchez Rua, as Specially Designated Narcotics Traffickers (SDNTs) pursuant to Executive Order 12978. OFAC also designated as SDNTs two other individuals and four entities located in Colombia. Sanchez Jimenez and Sanchez Rua are among those who have inherited the drug trafficking organization once led by SDNT principal Carlos Mario Jimenez Naranjo (alias "Macaco"), who is now in U.S. custody.
"The recent extradition of Carlos Mario Jimenez Naranjo represents a success in the U.S. and Colombian governments' efforts against narcotics trafficking. It also demonstrates the Colombian government's commitment and leadership in this effort," said OFAC Director Adam J. Szubin. "Today's designation exposes two of the individuals who have replaced Jimenez Naranjo, who headed one of the most powerful and ruthless criminal groups in Colombia."
Carlos Mario Jimenez Naranjo was extradited to the United States on May 7, 2008. He faces federal drug trafficking charges, among other charges, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
Jesus Maria Alejandro Sanchez Jimenez, also known as "El Primo" and "Scubi," is from Pereira, Colombia and is a cousin of Jimenez Naranjo. Sanchez Jimenez helped manage Jimenez Naranjo's drug trafficking operations while the latter was in a Colombian prison awaiting extradition to the United States. Sanchez Jimenez has grown more powerful following the recent assassination in Argentina of his close associate, Hector Edilson Duque Ceballos (alias "Monoteto"), who was also a lieutenant in Jimenez Naranjo's drug trafficking organization. Rafael Angel Sanchez Rua is from Cartago, Colombia and is a long-time drug trafficking partner of Jimenez Naranjo. Sanchez Rua is involved in the transportation of Colombian cocaine to Europe through Venezuela. In the late 1990s, Sanchez Rua was arrested by Colombian authorities on arms smuggling charges. The current whereabouts of Jesus Maria Alejandro Sanchez Jimenez and Rafael Angel Sanchez Rua are unknown.
Today's OFAC action also targets entities and individuals that hold assets on behalf of Jesus Maria Alejandro Sanchez Jimenez and Rafael Angel Sanchez Rua. Ganaderia Arizona, controlled by Sanchez Jimenez, is a prize-winning cattle farm located in Caucasia, Colombia with an office in Medellin. Sanchez Rua controls three companies in or near Cartago, Colombia: Almacen y Compraventa Los 3 Oros, an agricultural store; Granja Porcicola La Fortaleza, a commercial pig farm; and Motel Momentos E.U., an hourly motel. OFAC also designated today Luz Piedad Restrepo Encizo and Marisol Viedma Abonce, who act for or on behalf of Sanchez Rua.
This designation is part of the ongoing interagency effort by the Departments of the Treasury, Justice, State and Homeland Security to implement Executive Order 12978 of October 21, 1995, which applies financial sanctions against Colombia's drug cartels. Today's designation action freezes any assets the designees may have that are subject to U.S. jurisdiction and prohibits all financial and commercial transactions by any U.S. person with the designated companies and individuals.
A detailed look at the program against Colombian drug organizations is provided in OFAC's March 2007 Impact Report on Economic Sanctions Against Colombian Drug Cartels.
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