By The Opinion
Gabriel Arturo Castillo, alias “El Pinocho”, a 52-year-old Mexican from Monterrey, Nuevo León, pleaded guilty in the United States for his participation in an international money laundering conspiracy linked to drug trafficking, Justice Department authorities reported.
According to court documents, For at least two years, Castillo was part of a network that moved millions of dollars from the sale of drugs in the United States to Mexico. using a sophisticated scheme known as “black market peso exchange.”
This mechanism allowed criminal organizations to avoid the physical transfer of money across the border. According to the Department of Justice, the illicit funds were collected in various American cities and later sent to Laredo, Texas, where they were integrated into the financial system or used to acquire merchandise that were then transported to Mexico.
The scheme operated through Mexican businessmen who bought products in the United States, including perfumery items, with dollars from drug trafficking.. Subsequently, these merchandise were exported to Mexico, where they were sold, and payments were made in pesos directly to criminal organizations, thus hiding the illicit origin of the money.
US authorities highlighted the complexity of this network. The deputy general prosecutor of the Criminal Division, A. Tysen Duva, noted that Castillo “agreed to launder millions of dollars through an intricate system based on trade,” underlining that this type of operations strengthens drug trafficking and its devastating effects.
In the same line, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, John GE Marck, He said the guilty plea represents progress in efforts to dismantle the financial structures that support drug cartels.
For its part, The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) indicated that Castillo played a key role in hiding illicit profits for yearsuntil an investigation initiated in Laredo allowed the criminal network to be identified. The agency highlighted that these schemes are fundamental for the functioning of drug trafficking organizations.
The case also involved the criminal investigation division of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS-CI), which explained that “exchanging pesos on the black market” is a method used for decades and can reach high levels of sophistication. This technique allows illicit profits to be transformed into apparently legal assets through commercial operations (IRS-CI).
Castillo’s arrest was possible thanks to the collaboration between US and Mexican authorities, resulting in his extradition in August 2025. according to official information from the Department of Justice.
Castillo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering and faces a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for July 7, when a federal judge will determine the sentence in accordance with current legal guidelines.
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