Two Indians, their firms face US sanctions for alleged links with Mexico-based drug cartel

Two Indians and their companies are among 23 persons and entities sanctioned by the United States for allegedly being part of a global supply chain linked to a Mexico-based drug cartel.

Satishkumar Hareshbhai Sutaria and Yuktakumari Ashishkumar Modi are among the individuals mentioned in a list of sanctioned entities published by the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control on April 23.

The sanctions mean that all US properties of the persons and entities listed are to be blocked and reported to the Office of Foreign Assets Control.

The US treasury department alleged that Sutaria and Modi, through the companies SR Chemicals and Agrat Chemicals, facilitated the sale and shipment of precursor chemicals to Mexico and Guatemala by falsely labelling them as safe chemicals. These precursor chemicals were used to produce illicit fentanyl, the department alleged.

Both were arrested by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad in connection with the allegations in March 2025. They got bail from the Gujarat High Court in February, The Indian Express reported.

Sutaria and Modi have been booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. A chargesheet against them was filed on May 15, and they are now awaiting trial.

On Tuesday, the United States Embassy in India said that Indian law enforcement authorities were “instrumental in disrupting key elements of this criminal...

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