Hutchison Announces U.S. Department of the Treasury Decision to Release Seized Drug Money to South Texas Law Enforcement Agencies

Press Release

Today, U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) announced that the U.S. Department of Treasury is releasing nearly $30 million in seized drug money from the 2008 "Los Cazadores" operation investigating the drug lord Osiel Cárdenas Guillén. The funds will be divided among 12 Texas law enforcement agencies that played a pivotal role in the operation.

"We've worked diligently to ensure that the Department of Justice and the Treasury Department follow through on their promise to release these seized funds to the local law enforcement agencies who participated in this important investigation by collaborating with federal officials and ensuring its success," said Sen. Hutchison.

Sen. Hutchison has been working tirelessly to ensure the U.S. Departments of Treasury and Justice release the funds to the local law enforcement agencies involved in the operation. The 12 Texas city, county and state law enforcement agencies receiving a share of the seized funds are the Brownsville Police Department, the Cameron County District Attorney's Office, the Cameron County Sheriff's Office, the Hidalgo County HIDTA Taskforce, the Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office, the McAllen Police Department, the Mission Police Department, the Palmview Police Department, the Pharr Police Department, the San Juan Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Texas National Guard Joint Counterdrug Task Force.

"Once again Senator Hutchison has proven her value not only to McAllen but to the region," said McAllen Mayor Richard F. Cortez. "I commend Senator Hutchison and her staff for working diligently with the Departments of Justice and Treasury to finally release the confiscated millions of dollars that were due to McAllen and several other law enforcement agencies."

"This case is a reflection of unified law enforcement efforts at the local, state and federal levels to fight drug trafficking organizations," said McAllen Police Chief Victor Rodriguez. "The residual for law enforcement agencies is the major benefit for the agencies and the communities they serve. With these confiscated funds, agencies will be able to enhance their capacities to fight crime and in turn make their communities safer."

The Treasury Department confirmed on Tuesday, January 10th that the funds should arrive this Friday, January 13th.

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