A woman employed by the Attorney General’s office in Tamaulipas, Mexico, has been charged with money laundering following her arrest by U.S. authorities. She was allegedly trying to smuggle over $180,000 in cash for the Gulf cartel, an organization recently designated as a foreign terrorist group by the U.S. government.
Angelica Rodriguez Gonzalez and her boyfriend, Alejandro Alonso Sause Garcia, were taken into custody during a surgery. They are currently being held by federal authorities on charges related to cash smuggling. Rodriguez Gonzalez serves on the support staff of the Attorney General’s anti-kidnapping unit in Matamoros, while Saucedo is thought to be an operator for the Gulf cartel in the region.
According to court documents, the investigation began on May 2nd. A special agent working on a homeland security probe was tracking a cash smuggling operation based in Brownsville, Texas. Agents observed Rodriguez and Saucedo as they entered a Fiat vehicle.
Following the vehicle, agents intercepted it as it approached a border crossing between Brownsville and Matamoros. During the search, Customs and Border Protection officials discovered several bundles of cash, as well as $30,000 concealed on Rodriguez’s person. In total, authorities recovered $184,095.
When questioned by Homeland Security Investigations agents, Rodriguez admitted to previously smuggling cash six times for individuals linked to the cartel.
In Mexico, government officials have remained silent about Rodriguez’s arrest and the implications for those associated with the kid-court unit who may have ties to the Gulf cartel.
