WASHINGTON, USA — Today, the US Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) is reissuing a modified Geographic Targeting Order (GTO) to combat illicit cartel and other criminal activity, including money laundering, along the southwest border of the United States. As modified, the GTO requires certain money services businesses to file Currency Transaction Reports with FinCEN for cash transactions between $1,000 and $10,000 occurring in specific counties and ZIP codes.
“FinCEN is deeply focused on combatting cartels, drug traffickers, and other criminal actors along the southwest border that present significant risks to both the US. financial system and to public health,” said FinCEN director Andrea Gacki. “The reports generated by this Geographic Targeting Order will continue to help law enforcement investigate powerful illicit networks operating along the southwest border and beyond.”
Combatting drug cartels and stopping the flow of deadly drugs into the United States is one of the Administration’s highest priorities. In January, president Donald J. Trump issued an Executive Order creating a process by which certain cartels and other organizations would be designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) and/or Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs). Accordingly, in February, the US Departments of the Treasury and State designated eight organizations, including six major Mexico-based drug cartels, as FTOs and SDGTs.
In March, FinCEN published a GTO requiring money services businesses (MSBs) located in 30 ZIP codes in California and Texas near the southwest border to file Currency Transaction Reports with FinCEN at a $200 threshold, in connection with cash transactions. That GTO is effective through September 9, 2025.
FinCEN is now issuing a new GTO to target illicit transactions, while mitigating burden on legitimate businesses. The terms of this GTO are effective September 10, 2025, through March 6, 2026. The GTO provides a 30-day compliance period for MSBs that were not required to report under the March GTO, which will not need to begin filing reports until October 10, 2025. For all MSBs required to report under the GTO, the filing deadline is extended from the standard 15 days for Currency Transaction Reports to 30 days, for the entire period of the GTO.
This reissued GTO will continue to ensure law enforcement can deny individuals and entities associated with these groups access to the U.S. financial system.
The GTO covers the following geographic locations in Arizona, California, and Texas:
- Santa Cruz County, Arizona;
- Yuma County, Arizona;
- California ZIP Codes (all within Imperial County): 92231, 92249, 92281, 92283;
- California ZIP Codes (all within San Diego County): 91910, 92101, 92113, 92117, 92126, 92154, 92173;
- Cameron County, Texas;
- El Paso County, Texas;
- Hidalgo County, Texas;
- Maverick County, Texas;
- Webb County, Texas.
Any questions about the southwest border GTO should be directed to www.fincen.gov/contact. A copy of the GTO is available here.
