The United States Government pointed out Vikrant Bhardwaj as the leader of a migrant smuggling organization, for which he, three other people and 16 companies were sanctioned for facilitating such actions.
Mexico City, October 30 (However).- The United States Department of the Treasury sanctioned this Thursday to the Bhardwaj Human Trafficking Organization (Bhardwaj HSO), a criminal network based in CancunQuintana Roo, who was accused of smuggling migrants undocumented immigrants from Europe, the Middle East, South America and Asia to the United States.
Through a statement, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFACfor its acronym in English), attached to the Treasury Departmentreported that the sanction includes the leader of said organization, identified as Vikrant Bhardwaj, three other individuals and 16 companies that facilitated and benefited from HSO’s criminal activities.
“At the direction of Secretary Bessent and President Trump, the Treasury Department is taking steps to disrupt human trafficking networks. Today’s action, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, disrupts this network’s ability to smuggle immigrants into the United States. The Trump Administration will continue to combat and dismantle transnational criminal terrorist organizations to protect the American people,” said Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, John K. Hurley, at a press conference.
The Treasury Department is taking action against a Mexico-based transnational criminal organization that is smuggling migrants into the United States.@SecScottBessent has been clear: the Treasury Department will continue to target and dismantle terrorist transnational criminal…
— Treasury Department (@USTreasury) October 30, 2025
In the same report, the Treasury Department assured that Bhardwaj HSO has combined various transportation methods to facilitate the travel, by air and sea, of undocumented migrants from countries that pose a threat to the national security of the United States.
In this sense, the authorities specified that this organization uses its own yachts and marinas to transport undocumented migrants to Mexico, while upon arriving in Cancun, the Bhardwaj HSO provides them with accommodation in hostels and hotels before coordinating with its partners the transportation of the migrants to the border between the United States and Mexico.
The OFAC indictment included the transnational criminal organization Hernández Salas (also named this way by the Treasury Department), which was accused of acting in collaboration with Bhardwaj HSO to illegally introduce undocumented migrants into the United States through the Tapachula-Cancún-Mexicali corridor.
Regarding the leader profile of the organization, The United States Government identified Vikrant Bhardwaj as a citizen with dual Indian and Mexican nationality, who calls himself the founder and CEO of several companies in Mexico, India and the United Arab Emirates, which would have allowed him to raise and launder illicit money through his marinas and various businesses.
Likewise, OFAC pointed out two alleged collaborators of Vikrant Bhardwaj:
- José German Valadez Flores (Valadez), a businessman and drug trafficker who was referred to as a “close collaborator of Bhardwaj,” who plays a key role in smuggling migrants to Cancun through bribery of Mexican officials.
- Jorge Alejandro Mendoza Villegas (Mendoza), a former police officer from the state of Quintana Roo, who was accused of having access to the Cancun International Airport to coordinate, since 2020, the arrival and departure of undocumented migrants.
Find the perfect place to anchor your yacht
at VNV Marina
pic.twitter.com/mwlPqRC6Kj
— Vikrant Bhardwaj (@VikrantSemalti) December 7, 2023
In that framework, the Treasury Department designated eight companies based in Mexico, India and the United Arab Emirates as being owned or controlled by Bhardwaj:
- A restaurant and bar in India, Michigantap Hospitality Private Limited.
- Three companies engaged in real estate activities in India and the United Arab Emirates: VVN Buildcon Private Limited Bhavishya Realcon Private Limited y VVN Real Estate LLC
- Black Gold Plus Energies Trading L.L.C., a energy and fuel trading company based in the United Arab Emirates.
- Two navigation and tourism services companies based in Mexico, V AND V Astillero, SA de CV and Operadora Turística Princesa, SA de CV
- A supermarket in Mexico, VNV Store, S.A. of C.V.
- A real estate company, Bhardwaj, S.A. the CV
- A provider of business support services, Thercumex, S.A. of C.V.
And also to three companies for being property of José Germán Valadez Flores or be controlled by him:
- A construction company, Gerlife Construction, S. A . dic . V.
- A transport company, Marketing Vespa, S. A . dic . V.
- A reservation services company, Comercialicun, S. A . dic . V.
As well as three companies for being property of theBhardwaj’s wife, Indu Rani (Rani), a citizen of dual Indian and Mexican nationality, who was accused of participating in her husband’s financial operations and of being a co-shareholder in several companies in India and Mexico. However, the names of these companies were not revealed.
Given the above, the Treasury Department blocked all assets and interests in assets of the designated or blocked persons that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons, in addition to advancing its report to OFAC.
After proper maintenance
, ready to travel!
— Vikrant Bhardwaj (@VikrantSemalti) December 14, 2023
Thus, it was concluded that any entity that is owned, directly or indirectly, individually or jointly, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons, was also blocked, therefore, all transactions carried out by US persons or within the United States (or in transit through this country) involving property or interests in property of blocked persons were prohibited, except in the case of authorization through a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or an exemption.
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