Published on Thursday, March 3, 2005
in the Palm Beach Post

$100,000 in cash found in van

The Florida Highway Patrol seized more than $100,000 in cash from a shuttle van on Florida's Turnpike today after pulling the van over for speeding, an FHP spokesman said.

The cash was being carried by a passenger in the Orlando Express van, which shuttles customers from Orlando to Miami, although the man denied that the money belonged to him, FHP Lt. Pat Santangelo said.

An FHP trooper decided to search the van after he pulled it over west of Lake Worth and thought two of the passengers appeared suspicious. After receiving consent to search, he turned up more than $100,000 in a bag and more than $17,000 on the man in a makeshift money belt, Santangelo said.

The man, whose identity was not released, was brought back to an FHP office for questioning but had not been charged with any crime.

Troopers are investigating his actions and say they believe he may have been involved in illegal drug sales. Because he disavowed ownership of the cash, troopers have seized it for the time being.