The State Department announced new visa restrictions targeting individuals linked to the Sinaloa Cartel, underscoring what officials described as an intensified effort by the Trump administration to combat drug trafficking networks.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement that the measures will apply to 75 people identified as family members or close personal or business associates of individuals already sanctioned under Executive Order 14059 for ties to the cartel.
Rubio said the move reflects President Donald Trump's broader strategy to "use the full power of the United States" to dismantle narco-terrorist organizations operating in the Western Hemisphere.
Rubio added that the policy is intended to block entry into the U.S. and to deter continued involvement in illicit activities.
The Sinaloa Cartel, which has been designated a foreign terrorist organization, was described by the State Department as a major producer and distributor of fentanyl and other drugs entering the U.S.
Officials have also cited the group's involvement in violence, including killings, kidnappings, and intimidation targeting civilians, government personnel, and journalists.
The visa restrictions follow a February 2025 decision to formally designate the Sinaloa Cartel and other transnational criminal groups as foreign terrorist organizations and specially designated global terrorists.
Those designations let U.S. authorities block assets and financial interests tied to the groups and prohibit transactions involving U.S. persons.
The latest actions are part of a broader push by the Trump administration to disrupt cartel operations and drug trafficking networks tied to the U.S. market.
Separately, reporting in March highlighted a Drug Enforcement Administration inquiry involving Colombian President Gustavo Petro.
According to reports, DEA records identified Petro as a "priority target" in an investigation into alleged connections with drug traffickers, including possible links to the Sinaloa Cartel and claims involving campaign contributions.
Petro denied the allegations, saying he has no ties to drug traffickers.
Colombia's Embassy in Washington also rejected the claims, calling them "unverified" and lacking legal or factual basis.
U.S. federal prosecutors have not filed any charges, and the investigation has been described as being in its early stages.
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