Organized Criminal Activity-Money Laundering
Bishop Police Department
BISHOP (News Release) - At approximately 3:30PM on Sunday, November 21, 2021, A Bishop Police Officer assigned to the Nueces County District Attorney's Office Criminal Interdiction Unit (NCDA-CIU) was conducting traffic enforcement operations on U.S. Highway 77 south, when he initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle for an observed transportation code violation on U.S. Highway 77 southbound and County Road 16, in southern Nueces County, Texas
While speaking to the driver of the vehicle the officer developed reasonable suspicion to believe criminal activity was afoot and requested consent to search the vehicle. The driver denied consent to search and a nearby K-9 unit was requested to the scene.
A Robstown Police Department K-9 Unit also assigned to the NCDA-CIU arrived on scene a short time later and conducted an open air sniff of the vehicle's exterior. The K-9 gave a positive alert on the vehicle, which established probable cause for officers to search the vehicle.
Additional officers from N.C.D.A-C.I.U participating agencies including; Nueces County District Attorney's Office, Robstown Police Department, Nueces County Constable Precinct 3, and Nueces County Precinct Five Constable, responded to provide assistance.
The driver along with additional occupants in the vehicle (1 adult and 3 juveniles) were detained at that time. Both the vehicle and occupants were later transported to a nearby law enforcement facility, in order to conduct a more in-depth search of the vehicle.
During the subsequent probable cause search of the vehicle, officers located a large amount of U.S. currency concealed inside the back seat of the vehicle. The method of concealment discovered by officers was consistent with concealment methods often used by transnational drug trafficking organizations in the process of smuggling proceeds of narcotics trafficking back into Mexico.
Photo by Bishop Police Department
Several bundles of U.S. Currency approximately $30,000.00 (USD) was concealed inside the vehicle, along with a semi-automatic firearm and ammunition. All contraband was collected as evidence and all recovered U.S. currency will be seized pending asset forfeiture proceedings.
The contraband and vehicle were processed and the driver was placed under arrest for money laundering and engaging in organized criminal activity. The subject was later released with a pending court date on the criminal charges, due to COVID-19 protocols regarding recent travel outside of the United States.