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US bars Mexican promoter as ‘drugs trafficker’

A Mexican concert promoter has been barred from doing business in the US over his alleged links to two notorious drugs cartels.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control (Ofac), a division of the US Department of the Treasury, has named Jesús Pérez Alvear a specially designated narcotics trafficker (SDNT) for allegedly laundering money through concerts for the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG) and Los Cuinis Drug Trafficking Organization.

According to Ofac, the promoter – known as Chucho Pérez – focuses “primarily on promoting concerts staged during large Mexican fairs, such as those held in Aguascalientes and Metepec. Chucho Perez uses violence to obtain concessions to operate these concerts under the name of his music promotion business,” Gallistica Diamante/Ticket Premier.

Money is allegedly funnelled through shows by acts known for singing narcocorridos, or songs that supposedly glorify trafficking, such as Julión Álvarez and Gerardo Ortiz, and “comingled with legitimate revenues” from ticket sales and ancillaries.

“Our designation of Jesus Perez Alvear exposes his role helping CJNG and Los Cuinis exploit the Mexican music industry”

A PDF released by Ofac reveals how the agency believes Pérez is connected to the gangs.

The designation as a SDNT prohibits Pérez from doing business with anyone residing in the US, as well as freezing his US assets.

“[The] Treasury is targeting individuals who work on behalf of violent Mexican drug kingpins, and support their opulent lifestyles by trafficking deadly drugs into the United States,” says Sigal Mandelker, under-secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence.

“Our designation of Jesus Perez Alvear exposes his role helping CJNG and Los Cuinis exploit the Mexican music industry to launder drug proceeds and glorify their criminal activities.”

Four people were killed last January in a shooting at Mexican EDM festival BPM, for which drugs cartel Los Zetas claimed responsibility.

 


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