Mexican drug trafficking organizations have experienced a significant financial setback, with law enforcement authorities in South Texas confiscating more than one million dollars in cash from their illicit smuggling activities within a matter of days.
The most substantial seizure was made public on May 16, 2025., resulting from a collaborative effort between agents from the Kingsville Border Patrol and the Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office.
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During a routine stop of a pick-up truck, U.S. Border Patrol agents from Kingsville uncovered $835,000 in cartel funds concealed within a hidden compartment. The two individuals apprehended in the vehicle now face serious charges related to money laundering.
On May 15, 2025, , a second major bust occurred when an agent from the Kleberg County Attorney’s Specialized Crimes and Narcotics Task Force stopped a vehicle traveling southbound on U.S. Highway 77. After detecting a suspiciously modified compartment, a K9 unit alerted agents to the presence of illegal cash. Upon inspection, agents discovered twenty-seven bundles totaling $360,565. The New Braunfels Police Department Street Crimes Unit provided assistance in this case.
Earlier, on May 2, 2025, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers intercepted a Mexican couple at the Brownsville and Matamoros International Bridge during a random search. Officers found bundles of cash amounting to $148,610 concealed in their vehicle, with the driver carrying an additional $5,485 and the female passenger possessing $30,000 in cash. In total, federal agents seized $184,095.
Notably, the woman involved has been identified in Mexican media as an employee of the Attorney General’s Office in Tamaulipas. The investigation is currently under the jurisdiction of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations.
Collectively, these three operations resulted in the forfeiture of $1,379,660 in cartel profits derived from drug and human trafficking activities.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration’s 2025 National Drug Threat Assessment (NDTA), U.S. law enforcement agencies confiscated nearly $280 million in cash throughout 2024.
The states witnessing the highest incidence of cartel cash seizures in that year were California and Texas, as illustrated by accompanying maps depicting seizure hotspots along the southern border.
However, the DEA has reported a troubling trend regarding these cash seizures. Over the past four years, both the frequency and total value of cartel-related cash confiscations have declined significantly. As shown in recent data, nationwide cash seizures reached a peak of approximately $1.25 billion in 2021 but have since dropped to below $500 million annually.
Given that it is improbable that cartel revenues have diminished at such a drastic rate, the DEA suggests this decline may indicate a shift in money laundering tactics among cartels, possibly indicating an increased reliance on cryptocurrency.
Furthermore, the assessment highlights that cartels are converting cash into tangible assets such as real estate, luxury items like jewelry, vehicles, aircraft, and boats—some of which are utilized for smuggling purposes—while others cater to extravagant lifestyles.
In 2024 alone, the DEA reported seizures amounting to $64 million in cartel-related real estate, nearly $50 million in aircraft, boats, and vehicles, as well as over $41 million in jewelry and precious metals.
