‘No Evidence’ of Cartel Ties: Sheinbaum Says Mexico’s UIF Found Only Irregularities at Baja California Firms the U.S. Sanctioned in the ‘Mayito Flaco’ Network — and Washington Has Sent No Proof
Mexico’s Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF) has found irregularities but “no evidence” tying Baja California companies sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury to any criminal group, President Claudia Sheinbaum said at her Oct. 8, 2026, morning press conference, according to Zeta, El Imparcial and San Diego Red. The firms, including Tijuana-area contractor Inteliproof Efficient, were among the 21 people and 25 companies Treasury tied on Sept. 29 to the Los Mayos faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, the network of Ismael Zambada Sicairos, “Mayito Flaco.” Sheinbaum added that Washington has sent no information backing the accusations.
What Sheinbaum said
Asked about the companies, Sheinbaum said the UIF had found that they “no han reportado adecuadamente los ingresos, egresos” (“have not properly reported income and expenses”), El Imparcial reported. “Pero de ahí a que estén vinculados con un grupo delictivo es otra cosa” (“But from there to being linked to a criminal group is another matter”), she said, according to San Diego Red. Zeta quoted her as saying “no se tiene ninguna prueba” (“there is no proof”) of a link to any criminal group, “ni tampoco se ha recibido información por parte de Estados Unidos” (“nor has any information been received from the United States”).
The accounts stay frozen for now. Sheinbaum said the sanctioned firms get a period to present evidence; if the UIF accepts it, the accounts are unfrozen, and if not, the case can go to court, Zeta and San Diego Red reported.
‘I scold everyone’: the Harfuch report
At the same press conference, Sheinbaum rejected a Wall Street Journal report that she had rebuked Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch over the account freezes. “Siempre regaño a todo mundo” (“I always scold everyone”), she said, before adding “no es regaño” (“it’s not a scolding”) and that the point is “no hay que ser autocomplacientes” (“we must not be complacent”), Infobae reported. She called the story “chisme” (gossip) and said “no hay nada de fondo” (“there is nothing to it”). Infobae noted she neither confirmed nor described the meeting the WSJ reported.
The Tijuana contractor at the center
Zeta reported that Inteliproof Efficient won more than 200 million pesos in contracts from 2022 to 2025 from Baja California’s state prosecutors, Gov. Marina del Pilar Ávila’s state government and several municipalities, for tactical uniforms, riot gear and facial-recognition software. OFAC lists the firm and its executives as part of Los Mayos’ financial network. U.S. sanctions are civil measures, not criminal charges, and no one in the group has been charged in Mexico. For conditions in the area, see our Tijuana–San Diego safety page.
Sources
- Zeta (José Guaderrama): “Sheinbaum descarta pruebas de nexos criminales en empresas de Baja California sancionadas por EU” (Oct. 8, 2026)
- El Imparcial (Shaila Rosagel): “Sheinbaum aclara caso de empresas sancionadas por EEUU: ‘No hay evidencia’ de vínculos con grupos delictivos” (Oct. 8, 2026)
- San Diego Red: “Sheinbaum asegura que no hay pruebas de vínculos criminales de empresas de Baja California sancionadas por EEUU” (Oct. 8, 2026)
- Infobae (Itzallana López Castillo): “Sheinbaum responde al WSJ y niega molestia con García Harfuch: ‘Siempre regaño a todo mundo’” (Oct. 8, 2026)
- U.S. Treasury: “Treasury Sanctions Sinaloa Cartel Leadership and Corruption Networks” (Sept. 29, 2026)
- Photos: José Betanzos Zárate/Cuartoscuro and SHCP communiqué, via Infobae
Reported Oct. 9, 2026, from the published sources above. The Narco Blog has not independently confirmed the UIF’s findings or reached the companies, Inteliproof Efficient or the U.S. Treasury. Sanctions are not criminal charges, and everyone named is presumed innocent.