Man arrested for allegedly laundering drug money

GEORGETOWN, Texas - Williamson County deputies said they seized thousands of dollars in cash that was headed straight to Mexico.

It's a part of an ongoing battle to interrupt the cartel's activity on our Central Texas highways. This is the preferred route of travel for the cartel, drugs on the northbound side, cash going south to the border.

Interdiction officers showed us some of the most recent finds; one of them may have prevented women from getting raped. Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody said deputies snapped a photo Wednesday of their most recent bust along I-35.

Deputies said Carlos Cantu Tijerina made several moving violations near Jarrell prompting a traffic stop.

According to deputies, Cantu Tijerina, who is a citizen of Mexico, told them he was in the United States due to having a sick brother but when questioned about the illness, deputies said he couldn't provide a straight answer. "They were able to punch holes rather quickly and say this doesn't make sense,” Chody said.

Deputies said Cantu Tijerina consented to the search of his vehicle which lead to the discovery of $90,000 in cash. "We want to stop all efforts of drugs," Chody said.

Sheriff Chody shared more photos with FOX 7 showing us recent finds on the interstate.

There's meth, marijuana, cocaine and perhaps the scariest find GHB, the date rape drug. 

Chody said it reinforces the fact that the community pays a toll when it comes to drug trafficking.

"They are accompanied with weapons and these people are traveling long hours.  They're tired; you never know what is accompanying this level of transportation with drugs so it is a scary situation," Chody said.

He said efforts to find drugs and cash are ramping up and deputies aren't just watching over I-35. “We're looking for you and we are going to get you. You’re going to pay the price for peddling drugs in our area."

$90,000 isn't the largest cash seizure this year. A couple months ago they took in $143,000.