Nearly $300,000 seized in Fayette County
Photo courtesy Fayette County Sheriff's Office
Fayette County Sheriff Keith Korenek says $290,000 was seized after a van was stopped for a traffic violation on December 13 at about 6 p.m.
The van was stopped by the Fayette County Sheriff's Office Narcotics Canine Unit on Interstate 10 at mile marker 677.
Sgt. Randy Thumann and K9 Lobos conducted an exterior sweep of the vehicle after consent to search the vehicle was obtained. Lobos alerted Sgt. Thumann to the rear seats as being the source of an illegal odor.
A search of the seat revealed the money in U.S. currency sewn into the interior portion of the seats.
The driver was identified as 45-year-old Domingo Ortiz from Mexico. Ortiz was arrested for money laundering and is in the Fayette County Jail.