Mexican man arrested for smuggling $360K in Gulf Cartel cash

Authorities in Kleberg County arrested a Mexican man last Thursday following a traffic stop where $360,565 was found hidden in his vehicle.

The cash was destined for the Gulf Cartel in Reynosa, according to a criminal complaint.

Francisco Javier Montalvo is scheduled to make a first appearance Monday in Corpus Christi federal court on a charge of bulk cash smuggling.

The traffic stop happened at 12:21 p.m. when a special agent with the Kleberg County Attorney’s Specialized Crimes and Narcotics Task Force was working criminal interdiction on Highway 77.

The agent, who was stationary near County Road 2130, observed a white Kia SUV traveling southbound at approximately 48 mph as it entered a construction zone with a posted speed limit of 45 mph.

The agent conducted a traffic stop and gained consent to search the vehicle where he discovered 27 bundles of currency.

After his arrest, Montalvo told federal investigators that he and his cousin traveled to a hotel in Houston where they stayed overnight.

“Montalvo left the keys in the vehicle while they were at the hotel, and an unknown subject picked up the vehicle, and loaded the money to be smuggled into it,” the complaint stated. “The unknown subject then returned the loaded vehicle to the hotel and left the keys for Montalvo.”

He told investigators he was taking the money to Reynosa and that it was his second time transporting cash into Mexico. He expected to be paid $3,000, according to the complaint.

“Montalvo stated that he does not know what the money is proceeds of, however, he does know that it belongs to the Gulf Cartel and that he was smuggling the money for the Gulf Cartel,” the complaint stated. “Montalvo stated he knows this because when he turned over the money in Mexico last time, it was picked up by unknown subject(s) in a pickup truck that said ‘Cartel de Golfo.’”

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