FinCEN has issued an advisory (FIN-2025-A003) on January 13, 2026, to alert financial institutions about the increasing use of Chinese money laundering networks by Mexican criminal organizations to launder illicit gains. The advisory outlines specific methods and red flags associated with these operations, emphasizing the need for enhanced due diligence and suspicious activity reporting (SAR) by financial institutions.

Financial institutions should review their internal controls and transaction monitoring systems to identify and report suspicious activities consistent with the typologies described in the advisory. This includes paying close attention to transactions involving entities or individuals linked to both Mexico and China, particularly those involved in trade-based money laundering or the movement of bulk cash. Failure to identify and report such activities could result in regulatory scrutiny and penalties.