WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. White House announced on Wednesday the U.S. government will freeze the assets of a Mexican drug organization to demonstrate its commitment to security cooperation with Mexico and struggle against drug trafficking.

    The Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has designated 23 individuals and 19 businesses throughout Mexico for serving as front companies for Mexico's Sinaloa drug organization, the White House said in a statement.

    The Sinaloa drug organization is considered as Mexico's most powerful cartel.

    "With the designation, the United States is exposing and sanctioning a principal money laundering organization and attacking the financial underpinnings of the Sinaloa drug organization," it said.

    During a visit by President George W. Bush to Mexico in March, a Joint U.S.-Mexico Communique was signed in Merida that outlines ways for two countries to crack down on narcotics trafficking.

    With an aim at halting narcotics across the border, Bush has asked Congress for 500 million U.S. dollars for counter narcotics efforts in Mexico.