Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions Thursday against the Bhardwaj Human Smuggling Organization (Bhardwaj HSO), a Cancun-based transnational criminal network accused of smuggling thousands of migrants into the United States from Europe, the Middle East, South America, and Asia. The action targets the group’s leader, Vikrant Bhardwaj, three other senior members, and 16 affiliated companies operating across Mexico, India, and the United Arab Emirates.
According to OFAC, the Bhardwaj HSO used yachts, marinas, and corrupt officials to traffic migrants through Mexico and the Tapachula-Cancun-Mexicali corridor. The organization also collaborated with the Hernandez Salas TCO and received operational support from members of the Sinaloa Cartel.
“At the direction of Secretary Bessent and President Trump, the Treasury Department is taking action to crack down on human smugglers,” said Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John K. Hurley. “Today’s action, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, disrupts this network’s ability to smuggle illegal aliens into the United States.”
Bhardwaj, a dual Indian-Mexican national, allegedly laundered profits from human smuggling and drug trafficking through his global business holdings, including marinas, real estate companies, and yachting services. His wife, Indu Rani, along with associates Jose German Valadez Flores and Jorge Alejandro Mendoza Villegas, were also sanctioned for their roles in managing the organization’s operations and financial activities.
Under Executive Order 13581, as amended, all property and interests in property belonging to the designated individuals and entities within U.S. jurisdiction are now blocked. U.S. persons are prohibited from engaging in any transactions with them.
The designations were coordinated with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Mexico’s financial intelligence unit, the Unidad de Inteligencia Financiera (UIF). Treasury officials emphasized that the sanctions aim to disrupt transnational criminal networks and protect the U.S. from national security threats posed by human smuggling and organized crime.
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