CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Duval County Sheriff's Deputies found a large amount of cash on a passenger bus after a traffic stop on Texas State Highway 44 in Freer, Texas.
"Deputies, while conducting a roadside interview with the driver of the bus, developed reasonable suspicion to believe criminal activity was taking place and requested consent to search the bus," said officials in a release.
The driver of the bus granted Deputies consent to search the bus.
"All passengers on the bus were asked to step out. Freer United States Border Patrol Agents arrived and assisted with conducting a K-9 search of the exterior and interior of the bus utilizing their service K-9," said officials.
A K-9 gave a positive alert to the smell of narcotics emitting from the rear seating area of the passenger bus.
Deputies searched the bus and discovery ten bundles of United States Currency totaling $199,050 hidden in a shoe box behind the rear seating area of the bus.
According to investigators, $500 of the currency seized is believed to be counterfeit.
"Proceeds are believed to be from a failed attempt from narcotics/human smuggling organizations in process of smuggling back currency to Mexico," said officials.
All passengers and drivers of the bus were questioned, but no one claimed the currency.
"All evidence was collected and secured at the Duval County Sheriff's Office Evidence Vault," said officials.
No arrests have been made at this time, Deputies said. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) took custody of the currency due to the amount that was seized.
"The Duval County Sheriff's Office would like to thank the Freer United States Border Patrol for their assistance and the teamwork demonstrated between the agencies, which led to this seizure," said officials.
