The Federal Court of Río Cuarto charged 23 officers with alleged bribes to truck drivers at highway checkpoints
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A recent judicial investigation revealed that a group of 23 gendarmes allegedly collected at least $55 million in supposed bribes between August 2024 and July 2025. According to the case, the uniformed officers stopped trucks in the Sampacho area and demanded money to allow them to continue. The amounts were collected both in cash and through bank transfers and virtual wallets.
The analysis of financial operations made it possible to detect movements exceeding $5 million per month, with transfers close to $10 million. The maneuvers were allegedly carried out under the guise of routine checks, taking advantage of their authority on public roads. The judicial investigation keeps that the money was then redistributed among the members of the group.
The irregularities came to light thanks to the report of a truck driver who grew tired of the repeated demands for money. After a third bribery attempt in January, the driver decided to testify before the courts. In his testimony, he stated that the amounts demanded ranged from $100,000 to $600,000, depending on the type of cargo and the destination of the trip.
Los uniformados, según la causa, detenían camiones en la zona de Sampacho
Tracking of funds and internal structure
Investigators discovered that the gendarmes allegedly used different methods to conceal the collection of money. On some occasions, the sums were deposited in a box inside the trunk of a private vehicle or hidden in folders with documentation. Electronic transfers to several interrelated accounts were also detected.
Within the structure, there was reportedly a so-called "financial administrator" in charge of distributing the amounts. At least fifteen people between 18 and 30 years old participated in this network, residing in San Juan, with no formally declared income. According to sources in the case, "those accounts were allegedly used as intermediaries to triangulate and channel funds from the illegal exactions."
Investigators suspect that the operation lasted longer than the documented period. Testimonies and records suggest that the organization may have been active since 2022, taking advantage of its presence on national routes 8 and 35. Federal Judge Carlos Ochoa and Prosecutor Rodolfo Cabanillas are leading the case, which includes 13 detainees in Bouwer and two under house arrest.
La causa cuenta con 13 detenidos en Bouwer y dos con prisión domiciliaria
Accounting evidence and defenses presented
The courts are analyzing phones, computers, and documentation seized during the raids. Accounting expert reports on bank accounts and virtual wallets will determine the destination of the money. In addition, the prosecutor requested the freezing of assets and the general inhibition of assets of all those involved in the alleged illicit association.
Cross-checks of information with national agencies will seek to clarify the actual income and declared assets of the defendants. The result could reveal the existence of accomplices or cover-up agents outside the force. Meanwhile, the financial investigation is tracking the deposits and transfers detected during the 11 months of proven activity.
One of the accused, residing in Catamarca, claims that he was included in the case by mistake. His lawyer explained that his client appears only because he lent money to another of those involved. "We are going to request the annulment of the accusation because there is no evidence that he collaborated in the crimes," the attorney stated.
