U.S. Sanctions 16 Firms in Cancún Crime Network

Washington, D.C. — The United States government, through the Department of the Treasury, has sanctioned an international criminal network for human trafficking based in Cancún, naming 16 companies in the real estate, energy, tourism, transportation, and service sectors as alleged accomplices.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctioned 16 companies located in Mexico, India, and the United Arab Emirates for their participation in the financial and logistical operations of the Bhardwaj Human Smuggling Organization (Bhardwaj HSO), a transnational criminal network based in Cancún, Quintana Roo.

According to the U.S. Treasury, these companies were used to launder money, facilitate human trafficking, bribe authorities, and hide assets of the organization's leader, Vikrant Bhardwaj, and his associates.

Through a statement, the U.S. Government revealed the Mexican companies allegedly related to the criminal network, which include:

• V and V Astillero, S.A. de C.V. and Operadora Turística Princesa, S.A. de C.V., both with tourism and navigation operations in Cancún, allegedly used to transport migrants by sea.
• VNV Store, S.A. de C.V., a supermarket that served as a front for laundering illicit resources.
• Bhardwaj, S.A. de C.V., a real estate company directly owned by the organization's leader.
• Thercumex, S.A. de C.V., a corporate services company used to channel payments and bribes.
• VNV Fashions, S.A. de C.V., dedicated to the sale of textiles and clothing, employed to legitimize illegal income.

Additionally, three Mexican companies linked to collaborator José Germán Valadez Flores, accused of drug trafficking and corruption of officials, were also sanctioned:

• Constructora Gerlife, S.A. de C.V.
• Comercializadora Vespa, S.A. de C.V.
• Comercialicun, S.A. de C.V.

Furthermore, OFAC identified the company Cargas y Regulaciones Eléctricas, S.A. de C.V., used for financial concealment operations, as being owned by former police officer Jorge Alejandro Mendoza Villegas.

International Corporate Network

Bhardwaj's criminal scheme extended beyond Mexico through front companies operating in India and the United Arab Emirates:

• Michigantap Hospitality Private Limited, a restaurant and bar based in India.
• VVN Buildcon Private Limited, Bhavishya Realcon Private Limited, and VVN Real Estate L.L.C., real estate companies used to move capital.
• Black Gold Plus Energies Trading L.L.C., based in Dubai, dedicated to energy and fuel trading, identified as a vehicle for the group's money laundering.
• Veena Shivani Estates Private Limited, an Indian company owned by Bhardwaj and his wife Indu Rani, also sanctioned for her role in the laundering network.

International Coordination Against Criminal Network

The action was taken under Executive Order 13581, amended by 13863, targeting transnational criminal organizations. OFAC coordinated the investigation with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the DEA, and the Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF) of the Government of Mexico.

The U.S. government stated that the Bhardwaj HSO network combined human trafficking with drug trafficking, bribery, and money laundering, using its legitimate businesses as financial instruments for a global criminal operation.

"These sanctions block the assets of the implicated companies and cut their ties to the international financial system," the Department of the Treasury stated.