Traffic stop yields $1 million stashed in truck

[lewislynn]

March 3, 2004, 9:19AM

Traffic stop yields $1 million stashed in truck

By S.K. BARDWELL

Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle

Law officers seized about $1 million in cash found in a hidden compartment in a tractor-trailer rig pulled over for a routine traffic stop this morning.

The truck was stopped about 4 a.m. on the southbound lanes of U.S. 59 near Bissonnet by Harris County Sheriff's Department deputies.

The deputies said they became suspicious when the driver's description of where he had been and where he was going kept changing.

Drug-sniffing dogs were brought to the scene and found a hidden compartment near the truck's fuel tank, filled with plastic-wrapped packets of money.

The truck driver is being questioned, as is the driver of a car that was evidently following the truck and which pulled over when the truck was stopped.

Officers say the money may be payment for drugs delivered to the U.S. The truck, they said, was headed back to Mexico when it was stopped.

[GeronL]

You Houston guys need to go down there and demand that money be given back to these poor people unless the jack-booted cops have evidence of a crime! haha..ahem... if they don't then whats the problem?? Its their money, if they want to wrap it in plastic and stash it in a hidden compartment there is nothing wrong with that. Maybe they don't trust banks! .. /something

[Smokin' Joe]

Makes more sense than leaving it laying loose on the seat...

[KangarooJacqui]

The deputies said they became suspicious when the driver's description of where he had been and where he was going kept changing.

Officer: "Excuse me, sir, where are you headed?"
Driver: "Houston, erm, no, erm, Little Rock, erm, no... the Grand Canyon. Or was it Tijuana?"
Officer: "And from where have you been driving tonight?"
Driver: "Colombi... no, no, I mean Chicago. Um, no, Cleveland."
Officer (*drawing sidearm*): "Step out of the vehicle, please sir."

[edger]

So are the dogs now trained to smell money? Were there drugs or did the dogs blow one?

[taxesareforever]

Lends new meaning to the term, "fill er up".

[Mike Darancette]

Profiling again.

[lewislynn]

So are the dogs now trained to smell money?

Only with the scent of drugs all over it.

[Smokin' Joe]

A relatively high percentage of $100 bills were tainted with cocaine in a study a few years back. It may be the same today.

[Just another Joe]

I guess my question would be, "Is it illegal to carry a million in a secret compartment?".
I'd sure want a secret compartment if I was going to carry a million.

[jnarcus]

Actually it might be...the current banking laws require notification of the feds for any transactions involving $5000 or more. If you were going to carry ( transport) a million you would need special paper work...this has been true for at least a decade part of the war on drugs...more often enforced these days because of possible terrorist connections.

[Joe Hadenuf]

In other news, over 50 million was missed today.

[bikerman]

have you seen the price of Diesel fuel? Better carry lots of money.

[lewislynn]

In other news, over 50 million was missed today.

You're right. The same government nitwits who worry they aren't getting their fair share of sales tax revenues from internet sales for example, think nothing of the multi-billions of untaxed dollars taken out of circulation stuffed into vehicles going into mexico every year.

[lewislynn]

In other news, over 50 million was missed today.

You're right. The same government nitwits who worry they aren't getting their fair share of sales tax revenues from internet sales for example, think nothing of the multi-billions of untaxed dollars taken out of circulation stuffed into vehicles going into mexico every year, from california alone.

[FITZ]

Officers say the money may be payment for drugs delivered to the U.S. The truck, they said, was headed back to Mexico when it was stopped.

Vicente Fox is sure going to be mad.

[Clean_Sweep]

"Is it illegal to carry a million in a secret compartment?"

I'm pretty certain that there is a law limiting the amount of cash you are allowed to have in your possession. Of course I couldn't tell you what it is, however I know someone will fill us in shortly.

[lewislynn]

"Is it illegal to carry a million in a secret compartment?".

Not if you can account for where you got it.

[DainBramage]

You are only permitted to carry what can fit in your wallet.

Anything over that belongs to Barney and Andy.

[templar]

Wonder what the reason for the 'routine' stop was?