U.S. Border Patrol agents seized more than $12,000 of unreported cash that was stashed in a Ford Explorer that was driven into the United States from Mexico, authorities said Tuesday.
The agents stopped a 2002 Ford Explorer around 3 a.m. Monday on Interstate 10 near Blythe, said Officer Shaun Kuzia.
The driver "appeared nervous" and his story "contained multiple inconsistencies," Kuzia said. A canine searched the vehicle and detected a large amount of cash in a hidden compartment in the backseat of the Explorer, Kuzia said.
The money had recently been in contact with illegal narcotics, which is why the dog was able to find the cash, he said.
Records showed that the vehicle had entered the country from Mexico within the past three days. Federal law requires that currency in excess of $10,000 be reported when a person enters the United States.
The cash was taken to the Blythe Border Patrol station for processing, Kuzia said.
