EL PASO, USA — This week, as part of its public-private information sharing Exchange program, the US Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) launched a new series entitled “Combating and Obstructing Money Movements Associated with Narcotics and Drug Trafficking Organizations” (COMMAND). COMMAND mobilizes community and regional financial institutions as frontline partners in the fight against illicit finance to combat narcotics and drug trafficking organizations, including cartels.
“Cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) have evolved into complex, adaptive threats that destabilize entire regions,” FinCEN Director Andrea Gacki said. “Their activities, including human trafficking and facilitating the flow of deadly fentanyl into the United States, pose a direct challenge to our national security. Collaboration between the public and private sector is essential to combatting this threat. We’re also very grateful for the collaboration and partnership with the Texas Department of Banking in launching the COMMAND FinCEN Exchange series in Texas.”
FinCEN’s deputy director Jimmy Kirby led COMMAND events on June 24 and June 27 in McAllen and El Paso, Texas, respectively. Because of their proximity to the US southwest border, these cities are exposed to cartels and other TCO activity, including narcotics trafficking, human trafficking and smuggling, and violent crimes.
As part of the launch, the FinCEN delegation travelled to a key port of entry in El Paso and met with local, state, and federal law enforcement, further deepening relationships and support of critical law enforcement investigations through the use of Bank Secrecy Act information.
This is FinCEN’s second FinCEN Exchange event in El Paso, Texas in less than a year. COMMAND supports Executive Order 14157, which designates cartels and other organizations as foreign terrorist organizations and specially designated global terrorists.