The captain of Mexico’s national football team has been sanctioned by the US for allegedly being a “front person” for a major drug-trafficking cartel.
Rafa Marquez was one of 21 people and 42 organisations singled out by the US treasury department for sanctions.
They are all accused of having ties with alleged drug trafficker Raul Flores Hernandez.
Mexican singer Julio Cesar Alvarez is also on the list.
Both he and Rafa Marquez are accused, in a US treasury department statement, of having “longstanding relationships with Flores Hernandez… acted as front persons for him and his DTO [drug-trafficking organisation] and held assets on their behalf”.
The statement said the ruling meant that any assets of theirs under US jurisdiction or controlled by people in the US would be frozen.
Rafa Marquez has represented Mexico in four World Cups and played for European club sides Barcelona and Monaco.