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U.S. officials directed banks and other financial services companies Thursday to screen transactions and accounts more thoroughly for potential indications of Chinese passport holders laundering money for drug cartels in Mexico.

In a 15-page advisory and 21-page analysis, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network warned that “Chinese money-laundering networks,” or CMLNs, frequently use trade-based techniques, “mirror transaction methodologies” and money mules to move and hide funds for the cartels, some of which the U.S. now designates as foreign terrorist organizations.

“The business relationship between CMLNs and Mexico-based drug cartels is driven in part by laws passed by the government of Mexico and the PRC [People’s Republic of China] that restrict financial flows,” FinCEN advised Thursday. “Private individuals carrying [PRC] passports … play a significant role … and may wittingly or unwittingly assist CMLNs.”